Issue #22

Words by Cory Ohlendorf | Photography courtesy

Just a decade ago, some might’ve said that Japanese fashion was one of the best-kept secrets in menswear. Clearly, that's no longer the case. Japan has emerged as a superior spot for shopping and street style inspiration, and now their homegrown designer labels have become a sensation within the menswear world.

Sure, brands like Yohji Yamamoto, UNDERCOVER, Issey Miyake and Comme des Garçons have been well-respected fashion heavyweights for a long time. And UNIQLO has long made its mark around the world. But it’s only in the past few years that the Western style set has come to appreciate the growing list of Japanese clothing brands that have been pushing the envelope of style and creating amazing, high-quality products just out of sight of the masses.

And like so many Japanese makers, what sets these labels apart is their dedication to craft and sweating the details. They’re offering a mix of tradition and innovation, while combining styles and design languages for a perfect mix of aesthetics and comfort. In short, they’re the kind of clothes you want to wear, that you feel good in and that you don’t see everywhere. With that in mind, here are the four brands that are making a splash and that you could can now easily buy without booking a trip to Tokyo.

Established in 2015, the brand has developed a following for its ability to walk the line between soft and strong, modern and timeless, relaxed and refined. The world that Iwai has built is much more about living life tastefully and true—a wardrobe that, even when worn roughly, can be worn elegantly. The clothes themselves are the kind of pieces you want to wear over and over again—incredibly crafted and sourced from a breath of premium, global materials yet produced entirely in Japan.

The Japanese are always innovating when it comes to their grooming products. Take, for example, this body lotion that can be used on wet or dry skin. That’s right, you can apply this hydrating cream right on your dripping body as soon as you turn off the shower. Rub it in and then dry off with a towel as you normally would. There’s no stickiness, just smooth skin. The brand says that the steam effect of the hot water makes it easy for the ingredients to penetrate the skin and provide a high moisturizing effect.

Formulated with skin soothing Vitamin C, E and niacinamide, it also utilizes such natural moisturizing agents as jojoba and macadamia seed oil, shea butter and bergamot fruit oil—giving it its subtle citrusy fragrance. I’ve tested this personally and found that it works great both in and out of the shower, but I really like how much it absorbs on wet skin and how long-lasting the hydration stays on the skin.

Kaizen (改善) is a compound of two Japanese words that together translate as “good change” or “improvement”. However, the term has come to signify the Japanese philosophy of “continuous improvement”—the idea that every day is an opportunity to improve, even if it's only by 1%. It's not about being invincible, but rather unstoppable in your quest to be better than yesterday.