Junya Watanabe is a visionary Japanese fashion designer whose work has consistently pushed the boundaries of what clothing can be. Born in 1961 in Fukushima, Japan, Watanabe developed an early interest in fashion and eventually pursued his studies at Tokyo’s prestigious Bunka Fashion College, an institution known for producing some of Japan’s most influential designers. After graduating in 1984, he joined Comme des Garçons as a patternmaker, working under the legendary Rei Kawakubo. His talent was quickly recognized, and over time he rose through the ranks, absorbing Kawakubo’s radical approach to design while developing a distinct vision of his own.
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Junya Watanabe
Pushing Fashion Boundaries
Sacai
Modern Avantgarde Luxury
Sacai is a Japanese fashion brand that has carved out a unique niche in the global fashion landscape with its experimental, hybrid approach to design. Founded in 1999 by Chitose Abe, a former pattern cutter for Comme des Garçons and Junya Watanabe, Sacai was born from a desire to reconcile the dualities in modern life—function and form, tradition and innovation, the ordinary and the avant-garde. Abe launched Sacai from her home in Tokyo shortly after the birth of her daughter, initially focusing on a line of knitwear that challenged conventional silhouettes.
Kolor
Structure and Subtle Disruption
Kolor is a Japanese fashion brand founded in 2004 by Junichi Abe, who had previously worked under renowned designers such as Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons and Junya Watanabe. Abe launched Kolor with the intent of creating garments that express a refined balance between structure and subtle disruption. Rather than following the conventional rhythm of seasonal trends or chasing obvious aesthetics, Kolor emerged as a brand that celebrates detail, innovation in construction, and a uniquely off-kilter approach to menswear and womenswear design.From the beginning, Kolor positioned itself as a quiet disruptor in the fashion world. Junichi Abe did not seek fame or spectacle; his designs spoke for themselves through their complexity and craftsmanship. Instead of relying on logos or overt branding, Kolor’s identity has always been embedded in the garments themselves—through intricate layering, unexpected fabric combinations, and the precise but unpredictable cuts that have become the brand’s signature. Abe’s work has often been described as “elevated normcore” or “quiet avant-garde,” but these terms only approximate the distinctive language that Kolor has developed over two decades.
Issey Miyake
Pioneer in garment technology
Issey Miyake was a Japanese fashion designer whose name is synonymous with innovation, technology, and timeless style. Born in Hiroshima in 1938, Miyake studied graphic design before moving into fashion, attending Tokyo’s Tama Art University and later honing his skills in Paris and New York. His diverse background allowed him to approach clothing design as a fusion of art, technology, and function.
Maison Margiela
Avant-Garde Deconstruction
Maison Margiela is a Paris-based fashion house founded in 1988 by Belgian designer Martin Margiela, a graduate of the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Known for its avant-garde, deconstructive approach to fashion, Maison Margiela has become one of the most influential brands of the past four decades.
Walter Van Beirendonck
Radical Belgian Fashion Icon
Walter Van Beirendonck has always been the loudest voice in the room, but at the same time one of the most thoughtful. Since the 1980s, he has made clothes that do more than cover the body. They shout, they protest, they play. He was part of the Antwerp Six, that legendary group of Belgian designers that also included Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene, and Marina Yee, but his path has always looked a little different. Where others found a balance between commerce and creativity, Walter leaned hard into spectacle.