Japanese Streetwear

Japanese streetwear has conquered the world. Whether it's through cooperations with big brands or the Paris Fashion Week show, we can't get enough of this emancipation, but where did this emancipation come from? Some people think that the model started in the 1970s and 1980s; although it is a strictly traditional society, it is usually the first time that young Japanese start to oppose their elders. This spirit of defiance and disobedience is essential to understanding Japanese streetwear.

In the early 1990s, a wave of young people moved into the small Urahara district between Harajuku and Aoyama in Shibuya, Tokyo. Soon, a creative and design mindset was born. The opening of a small clothing store offers Japanese youth a new style, inspired by Western fashion, and takes a leading position in exploring the meaning of youth culture. Brands like UNDERCOVER, WTAPS, NEIGHBORHOOD and stores like NOWHERE and A Store Robot are becoming increasingly popular. Before long, everyone in Tokyo wanted to experience the Harajuku aesthetic. With the growth of the clientele and the increase in exposure, magazines like ASAYAN also paid attention and captured this phenomenon.

Japanese streetwear has not received the recognition it deserves, even though it is inspired by Western culture. Therefore, many Japanese designers started to help each other by collaborating or sharing materials. That's why few people read an article about a Japanese designer's success without mentioning another person's name. We could quote for example, the famous Nowhere store that has been opened by Jun Takahashi, the founder of UNDERCOVER, and NIGO, the founder of A Bathing Ape. This is definitely a milestone in the evolution of streetwear. This Asian spirit of cooperation rather than competition still exists.

The success of Harajuku in the US and Europe is partly due to Western influence. Many collaborations between well-known brands, such as Supreme and BAPE, Nike and Atmos, have undoubtedly pushed the movement forward. However, it was the craftsmanship and detail-oriented aesthetic of the Japanese brands that really made it a major global success. After spending hours redefining and perfecting the quality of each product, the Japanese have added a sense of freshness and renewal.

Asian Street Fashion

At Kanji Streetwear, we consider that Japanese streetwear is more than a fashion: it is an identity. Because of its strong visual identity and its originality, Japanese streetwear is becoming a classic in western fashion. It is with this in mind that we created Kanji Streetwear, the first online store to exclusively showcase Japanese urban fashion.

Kanji Streetwear was created by two young entrepreneurs in search of novelty. In love with the Japanese culture and streetwear style, they had the opportunity to notice during their different trips in Asia that the Japanese streetwear was a very interesting style. They immersed themselves in this particular fashion in Tokyo, in the Harajuku district, where they had the opportunity to find all the inspiration they needed. And they had an idea.

The idea came from a simple observation: in the West, Asian fashion is not present enough. And more particularly Japanese fashion. That's why we decided, through Kanji Streetwear, to import Japanese clothes in the West. To do so, we propose many Japanese collections and styles.

Japanese Clothing

Broadly speaking, there are two styles of clothing worn by Japanese people: kimono and western dress. Japanese culture has been deeply influenced by other parts of the world throughout history, and one of the most significant changes is in the area of clothing.

Although traditional Japanese clothing is still important today, it is mainly worn for ceremonies and special events, funerals, most ceremonies and festivals. In recent years, modern Western-style clothing has penetrated all occasions of daily life. However, as customary Westernization continued, the kimono continued to be worn in accordance with Japanese traditions.

The modern history of Japanese fashion can be seen as the process of gradual westernization of Japanese clothing. The wool industry is the result of Japan's contact with the West in the 1850s and 1860s. Before the 1860s, Japanese clothing consisted entirely of a wide variety of kimonos.

They first appeared in the Jomon period (14,500 BC to 300 BC), regardless of gender. After Japan opened up its foreign trade, it began to introduce new clothing. The first Japanese to adopt costumes were officers and soldiers of certain army and navy units of the shogunate.

In the 1850s, these people adopted the woolen uniforms worn by British sailors stationed in Yokohama. However, these garments were not easy to produce because the materials had to be imported. Perhaps the most important aspect of this early adoption of Western style is its folkloric origin. For a long time, the public sector was the main supporter of the new clothing styles.

The style developed from this time, from the military to other areas of social life. Soon, courtiers and bureaucrats were encouraged to adopt Western-style clothing, which was considered more practical.

The Ministry of Education ordered Western-style student uniforms to be worn in public schools and universities. Businessmen, teachers, doctors, bankers and other leaders of the new working society wore suits, which became a sign of important social functions. However, although the new style of dress is becoming increasingly popular in workplaces, schools and on the street, not everyone wears it.

Japanese Outfits

Since the beginning of World War I, Western clothing had spread to most areas. Therefore, at the beginning of the 20th century, Western clothing was a symbol of dignity and social progress. However, the vast majority of Japanese people are still faithful to their customs and prefer more comfortable kimonos. Nevertheless, suits are worn, and this has always been the rule.

An example of Japan's Eastern influence spreading to other parts of the world in the late 1880s was an ordinary blanket used as a women's shawl, and a red blanket appeared on Vogue in winter.

Until the 1930s, most Japanese wore kimonos and Western clothing in some classes was still limited to outside the home. However, the Japanese did not passively absorb Western fashion from the United States and Europe, but reinterpreted it and made it their own. In general, it is obvious that throughout history, the West has had a great influence on Japanese culture and clothing. However, for a long time, the traditional kimono is still an important part of Japanese daily life.

Find below some Japanese outfits, influenced or not by streetwear.

Streetwear Style

At first glance, the definition of streetwear seems simple. The fashion industry defines streetwear as fashionable casual clothing worn by pop culture enthusiasts. Most of these people are under 30, live in urban areas and belong to subcultural groups (e.g. skateboarders or hip-hop music fans).

The fashion industry is working hard to define what streetwear style is. Its influence is very broad: skate and surf culture, hip-hop music, sports, high fashion and K-Pop. His clients are equally diverse, spanning all income levels, socio-economic statuses and all corners of the world.

No, we're not lazy. Streetwear is not just a general casual wear movement. Behind the overpriced t-shirts, the endless lines of sneaker releases and every designer logo imaginable, there's more to it than you think.

At Kanji Streetwear, we decided to mix Japanese style and streetwear to give a unique form of streetwear. We also offer clothes in the pure streetwear style, because we believe that the streetwear style is an integral part of Japanese streetwear, although it is inspired by Japanese culture.

Streetwear Outfits

Baggy Hoodies and Fitted Pants

Baggy clothing is a timeless classic in any streetwear wardrobe. However, it's worth noting that there's a big difference between "enough" and "enough". Loose-fitting clothes sag, but still fit your body (as shown in the example below). A good outfit recommendation is to wear loose tops (like hoodies) and tight pants (like tight jeans). Pairing loose-fitting clothing with tight-fitting clothing shows that you have considered the overall look of your clothing. It gives a deliberate and relaxed vibe.

Bright colors (neon or Easter)

Streetwear allows you to enjoy the fun of color. When you get into streetwear, whether it's bright and vivid, retro or neon, you'll enjoy great color creativity. Softer pastel tones have also recently seen a significant resurgence. Have fun and find the color that works for you. The main idea is to match your color correctly. Even in the bold streetwear category, you need to match your outfit. The general rule is to match bright colors with more casual colors. So, if you're wearing a gorgeous top, you can pair it with ripped blue jeans or chino, and vice versa.

Cargo Pants

Cargo pantsare having a remarkable resurgence in modern streetwear. Until recently, these loose-fitting British military pants with protruding pockets were considered unbranded, but they're making a comeback. Today's jumpsuit isn't as loose as the original. Remember: you want loose pants, not baggy pants. Many suits now use tapered legs for a better fit. The fact that these pants have so many convenient pockets is just a bonus.

Traditional Japanese Clothing

Japan is a country with a strong cultural imprint in its clothing fashion. The first garment we wanted to study and recreate was the kimono. The kimono is a traditional Japanese garment that is very important to the Japanese in the 21st century. Where most Western cultures have abandoned their traditional clothing, Japan remains attached to it.

So we decided to offer Japanese kimonos, but not in any way: we chose to separate our kimono collection into three sub-collections: the traditional kimonos, which are closest to the kimonos that can be found in Japan; the kimono dresses, which are intended for a more feminine audience, and the kimono cardigans, which are intended for a wider audience.Their tight fit, original and diverse designs make the cardigan kimonos the best sellers among the kimonos present on Kanji Streetwear.

Japanese Clothing Brands

Kanji Streetwear is the first clothing brand to offer such diversity in its selection of Japanese streetwear products. And it's far from being finished! We plan to offer twice as many products in the coming months. So we can offer you more and more novelties and Japanese streetwear to wear.

At Kanji Streetwear, we want to offer worldwide delivery, because we don't like the extra costs when checking out. The price displayed in your cart is the price you will pay at checkout. No more, no less (unless you have a coupon code!). Finally, Kanji Streetwear is one of the world leaders in Japanese streetwear. We are the fastest growing Japanese streetwear brand in the last 12 months, and we look forward to increasing our growth with your support and feedback. Thank you for shopping at Kanji Streetwear!

Korean Streetwear

In recent years, we've seen the rise of Korean fashion influence global trends. This style is known for its bold oversized streetwear and unashamed experimentation, and is popular in Korea and abroad. Fashion has always been an indispensable part of Korean culture, but it has never been more important than it is today, and it has never been more deeply rooted in people's daily lives. When you stay in Seoul for a while, you'll notice the unique fashion style of the people of Seoul, and the streets are full of designer boutiques and strange shopping malls. Looking for a place to shop? Gangnam is an upscale neighborhood in Seoul promoted by PSY. There are well-dressed teenagers and famous stores worth a visit. You can head to Itaewon or Hongdae if you're on budget in order to find local markets, another popular street style among Korean millennials.

Foreign brands, like Supreme and Vetements, continue to have a strong influence on the Korean market. However, the status and popularity of local emerging designers is gradually improving, and we expect them to occupy more market share in the coming years. Part of this growth is due to the country's popularity among Chinese tourists seeking fashion, pop culture and music in South Korea. Seoul Fashion Week, held twice a year, has become an important industry event and an opportunity to showcase Korean fashion and street style to the world. The look is refreshing compared to what we've seen in New York, London, Milan and Paris, mixing elements of customization and DIY with minimalist clothing. Loose-fitting and oversized clothing dominates outside of the theater, and fashion enthusiasts flocked to Seoul during this time to take the opportunity to showcase their style and connect with the industry.