Yohji Yamamoto
 | |
| Born | 3 October 1943[1] |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Tokyo, Japan[1] |
| Nationality | Japanese[2] |
| Occupation | Fashion designer[1] |
| Known for | Avant-garde fashion, oversized silhouettes and black clothing[2] |
Yohji Yamamoto (born 3 October 1943 in Tokyo) is a Japanese fashion designer.[1] His clothing is known for oversized silhouettes, complex drapery in varying textures and a commitment to black. His main labels include Yohji Yamamoto and Y's, and his collaborations include Y-3 with Adidas.[2]
Career
Yamamoto graduated from Keio University with a law degree in 1966. He then chose to help his mother in her dressmaking business and, at her request, enrolled at Bunka Fashion College.[2] He established Y's Co., Ltd. in 1972 and presented his first collection in Tokyo in 1977.[3] He showed in Paris for the first time in 1981.[4]
His work has extended beyond his principal clothing lines through collaborations with Adidas and artists including Tina Turner, Elton John and Pina Bausch.[2] The Victoria and Albert Museum announced a retrospective of his work, marking the thirtieth anniversary of his Paris debut and scheduled to open on 12 March 2011.[4]
Design approach
V&A curator Ligaya Salazar wrote that Yamamoto's designs questioned the need to reveal and exaggerate the female form, instead exploring the possibilities of folding, draping and manipulating textiles.[4] In a 2011 interview with The Talks, Yamamoto said that he had wanted to make men's clothes for women and saw coats as a way of covering and protecting the body. He also said that he wanted his garments to remain wearable for at least ten years, and requested durable finishes from his fabric maker.[1]
In the same interview, he said that he tried to finish before reaching 100 percent, describing the remainder as "empty," "in between" or "uncompleted." He connected this idea of space to Japanese art and said that a new vocabulary was needed beyond introducing him simply as "the Japanese designer."[1]
Yamamoto's eyewear is the reference for YY Glasses, a glasses trait in the Milady Maker NFT collection, modelled after his 52-6102 frame.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 2011-08-31. "Yohji Yamamoto: "People have started wasting fashion"". The Talks. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Yohji Yamamoto". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ "About Designer". Yohji Yamamoto. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ligaya Salazar (2010-10-03). "THE STORY SO FAR". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 2026-09-14.