Our Shippn team selected the most popular Japanese brands. You can buy anything from Japan with the help of Shippn. When it comes to popular Japanese fashion brands, the first things that usually come to mind are stores like Uniqlo, GU, BAPE, 6%DokiDoki, Yohji Yamamoto, ASICS, or the avant-garde, fashion-forward style of COMME des GARÇONS.
Although Japanese street fashion is usually known for its over-the-top aesthetics compared to the more minimalistic styles found in Europe, the most popular Japanese fashion brands are a mixture of all of the above: a combination of streetwear and high fashion.
Japanese brands have definitely always been ahead of their time when it comes to global trends. This is why we’ve made a list of Japanese brands everyone should know and add to their shopping list.
By the way, do not forget that it is very easy to shop from abroad with Shippn. If you are still not a member of Shippn, you can register now, here. Sign-up now and get your local address from anywhere in the world.
After you become a member, you can obtain your hosts’ local address and direct all of your summer items to that address. Our host will forward all of your orders and send them using the fastest route to deliver your package to your doorstep in 5-7 days.
You can easily discover the brands with the shopping guide we have prepared for you.
Uniqlo
Uniqlo is one of the leading high-quality affordable fashion brands around the world.
Entering the market in the United Kingdom, America, Korea, China, and many more, it has quickly expanded, due to lower prices while still maintaining the premium quality.
Uniqlo offers a wide range of plain everyday clothing that can be worn at work as well as at home. The brand is mostly inspired by the minimalistic aesthetic of the Japanese while offering warmth and comfort.
Uniqlo does not sell many trendy or flashy clothes, but more basic items that you can use for a long time.
GU
GU is a Japanese discount wear manufacturer, designer, and retailer, with 280 stores across Japan.
It is completely owned by the company “Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.” that also owns UNIQLO. Compared to UNIQLO, GU offers more trendy clothes that are even more affordable.
This is why It’s more popular among the younger generations.
6%DokiDoki
If you’re a fan of kawaii things, then 6%DokiDoki could be perfect for you.
6%DokiDoki was Created by the legendary artist Sebastian Hasuda and has been bringing iconic kawaii styles to Harajuku since 1995. Although the age of decora fashion may have passed, the store is still doing well.
The store is also hard to miss, since it is in the middle of Harajuku, and the colorful kawaii decorations are greatly displayed in the shop windows.
6%DokiDoki offers an array of clothes and accessories for every kawaii enthusiast.
Yohji Yamamato
Yohji Yamamoto’s designs can be found in department stores all around the world, together with his Y’s streetwear collection.
The designer is famous for creating oversized, black clothing from caps and sunglasses to drop-crotch trousers and blazers. A hint of Japanese flair can be found in Yamamoto’s graphic t-shirts and signature logos.
Yamamoto has collaborated with brands like Adidas and Hermès, and also designed for famous artists like Elton John and Placebo.
A Bathing Ape
Hip hop fans probably already know about BAPE.
This streetwear brand has been worn by artists like Kanye West and the Notorious B.I.G. BAPE was founded in 1993 by the legendary stylist Nigo, and is famous for its loud logos and Ape motifs.
In 2011 Nigo left BAPE and sold it to the I.T Group, when it became a more mainstream brand.
Asics
ASICS is a Japanese sportswear company.
They may be familiar to many because their products are sold globally through their own stores and resellers.
Their running shoes are especially well-known and have been ranked as the best-performance footwear on the market. ASICS is an acronym for the Latin saying “anima sana in corpore sano,” which means “a healthy soul in a healthy body.”
COMME de GARÇONS
One of the most well-known Japanese clothing brands, COMME des GARÇONS was founded in the 1970s by designer Rei Kawakubo.
The collections are still designed in Tokyo, but CdG is also a highlight of the Paris Fashion Week, famous for its dramatic runway performances and sculptural, draped clothing items.
COMME des GARÇONS pieces are timeless pieces for any wardrobe, however, the brand also focuses on staple garments with an eccentric edge.
A more casual but still luxurious entry-point to COMME des GARÇONS is the CdG Play line, which consists of cardigans, T-shirts, sneakers, sweatshirts, and more.
Yoshida & Company Porter
Yoshida & Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer based in Tokyo that designs and produces bags and accessories. Founded by Kichizo Yoshida in 1935, the company is best known for its PORTER and LUGGAGE LABEL brands of products.
Producing “Japan Made” products, Yoshida & Co. gained popularity among young people in the 1980s for its low-key wallets, bags and backpacks. The company’s most popular brand, PORTER, often collaborates with other fashion brands and consumer electronics companies to produce limited-edition products, examples of which have included cases and bags for Sony PSP, VAIO, and Apple PowerBook, and iPod products
Yoshida & Co. distributes its products online and through over 700 stores worldwide, including three official company shops named Kura Chicka Yoshida located in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as in 28 Kura Chika partnership stores located domestically in Japan, and internationally in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.