Yohji Yamamoto
Yohji Yamamoto Inc. · Japan
Yohji Yamamoto is the Japanese fashion label of designer Yohji Yamamoto, whose Y's company was founded in Tokyo in 1973. Operated by Yohji Yamamoto Inc., it is a pillar of Japanese avant-garde fashion and runs a family of lines including Y's and the Y-3 partnership with adidas.
| Founded | 1973 (Y's), Tokyo |
|---|---|
| Founder | Yohji Yamamoto |
| Company | Yohji Yamamoto Inc. |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Paris debut | 1981 |
| Key partnership | Y-3 with adidas, since 2003 |
| Website | yohjiyamamoto.co.jp |
What is Yohji Yamamoto?
Yohji Yamamoto is a Tokyo based fashion house known for loose, asymmetric tailoring, a dominant use of black and a poetic approach to cut and fabric. The company, Yohji Yamamoto Inc., manages a group of lines that range from the main Paris collections to diffusion and collaboration labels.
History
Yamamoto founded the Y's company in 1973, and the Yohji Yamamoto company followed in 1984. He first showed in Paris in 1981, launching the Yohji Yamamoto ready-to-wear line at the same time, and together with Comme des Garçons he changed how the West saw Japanese design. In 2003 he launched Y-3 with adidas, one of the earliest long running partnerships between a designer and a sportswear brand.
By 2009 the company had accumulated more than US$65 million in debt following poor financial decisions. A restructuring in 2009 and 2010, carried out with Integral Corporation, left the business debt free by November 2010.
Products and positioning
- Yohji Yamamoto: womenswear and Pour Homme menswear shown in Paris
- Y's and Y's for men: more accessible daily lines
- Y-3: sportswear and footwear with adidas
- Other labels: including Ground Y, S'YTE, discord Yohji Yamamoto and LIMI feu
Business model and distribution
The main lines are shown at Paris fashion weeks and sold through flagship stores in cities such as Paris, London and New York, at high end department stores and through the company's own online shops. The Y's flagship in Roppongi Hills opened in 2003.
Why it matters
Yohji Yamamoto is a reference for designer led creativity and for brand extension through partnership: Y-3 helped set the template for luxury and sportswear collaborations. The company's restructuring also illustrates the financial fragility of independent design houses, even those with strong creative reputations and loyal customers.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Yohji Yamamoto?
The brands are operated by Yohji Yamamoto Inc. in Japan. After debt problems in 2009, the company was restructured with Integral Corporation and was debt free by November 2010.
What is Y-3?
Y-3 is the sportswear label created by Yohji Yamamoto and adidas in 2003. It combines Yamamoto's design language with adidas performance and footwear expertise.