Auralee
Japan
Auralee is a Japanese minimalist clothing label founded in 2015 by Ryota Iwai. It is known for neutral, high-quality everyday pieces built on carefully sourced fibres, and has shown in Paris since 2019.
| Founded | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ryota Iwai |
| Country | Japan |
| Flagship | Aoyama, Tokyo |
| Paris debut | 2019 |
| Segment | Luxury and designer houses |
| Website | auralee.jp |
What is Auralee?
Auralee is a Tokyo-based label that describes its approach as "relaxed simplicity, elevated and tinged with a sensitive, sophisticated edge". It offers menswear and womenswear, including outerwear, knitwear, shirts, trousers, dresses and shoes.
History
Ryota Iwai, a Bunka Fashion College graduate, started in a vintage shop while at school and later assisted at the knitwear brand Norikoike. He founded Auralee in 2015. He won the Fashion Prize of Tokyo in 2018 and the brand showed at Paris Fashion Week from 2019. According to one trade analysis, its Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear show opened Paris Men's Fashion Week in January 2025.
Products and positioning
The clothing is built around neutral tones, clean lines and fabric quality. Iwai travels to source fibres directly, including cashmere and camel hair from Mongolia and wool from Australia and New Zealand, and commissions bespoke fabrics from Japanese weavers. The brand's official site runs a "Material Matters" series on fibres and fabrics.
Business model and distribution
The brand has a flagship in Tokyo's Aoyama district and sells through selective retail partners including Dover Street Market, SSENSE and Farfetch, with a growing presence in London, New York and Paris and a strong base in Asia. It also sells through its own online store.
Collaborations
Auralee has a long-running partnership with New Balance on sneakers and has worked with the Danish lifestyle brand Tekla on a capsule collection inspired by Japanese onsen culture.
Why it matters
Auralee shows how a young independent Japanese label can build international demand through product quality and a limited retail footprint rather than heavy marketing. Public sources do not name its owner, so ownership is not stated here.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Auralee?
Auralee was founded in 2015 by Japanese designer Ryota Iwai. He won the Fashion Prize of Tokyo in 2018.
Is Auralee a luxury brand?
Auralee is a premium designer label rather than a traditional luxury house. It focuses on minimalist clothing with specially sourced fibres and fabrics.