WACKO MARIA
WACKO MARIA is a Japanese streetwear label from Tokyo founded by former J-League footballers Atsuhiko Mori and Keiji Ishizuka. It makes menswear with music at its core, known for bold printed shirts and tailoring.
| Founded | 2005 (first collection) |
|---|---|
| Founders | Atsuhiko Mori, Keiji Ishizuka |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Signature | Printed camp-collar shirts |
| Website | wackomaria.co.jp |
What is WACKO MARIA?
WACKO MARIA is a Tokyo streetwear brand created by Atsuhiko Mori and Keiji Ishizuka, both former professional footballers in Japan's J-League. Music sits at the centre of the brand, which began life as a Tokyo record store before turning to clothing.
History
The first WACKO MARIA collection appeared in 2005. The brand's Tokyo flagship keeps a large collection of vinyl, a reminder of its record shop origins and of the musical references that run through its designs.
Products and positioning
The label is best known for graphic and patterned shirts, such as zebra-print camp-collar shirts with slogans and prints of vinyl records, alongside tailoring such as herringbone suit jackets with leopard-print linings. It has built a reputation for collaborations with cultural figures, including filmmakers Jim Jarmusch and Larry Clark and collage artist Weirdo Dave, and created a capsule with Fragment founder Hiroshi Fujiwara for MR PORTER.
Distribution
Beyond its Tokyo flagship, the brand is stocked by international retailers such as MR PORTER and END.
Why it matters
WACKO MARIA is an example of a Japanese label that turned a founder's cultural passions, in this case music and film, into a distinct design language with international reach through wholesale partners.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded WACKO MARIA?
WACKO MARIA was founded by Atsuhiko Mori and Keiji Ishizuka, both former J-League footballers.
Where is WACKO MARIA from?
The brand is from Tokyo, Japan, where it released its first collection in 2005.