Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamammoto was born in 1943 in Yokohama, Japan. He studied English at the Nipppon University. Subsquently, he graduated from Keio University, in 1966. He then attended Bunka Fukuso Gakuin, the Japanese College of Fashion, for 2 years till 1968. Whilst there, he studied under Chie Kolke, who attended Paris' l'Ecole with Yves St. Laurent. He started out making clothes for his mother's friends in their Tokyo neighbourhood in the late 1960's. Before Yamamoto, dressmakers were tradesmen to be treated as humble people. But that was not the case for him. Before starting his career, Yohji Yamamoto had taken an extended tour of Europe, including a long stay in Paris and he felt that designing clothes could be considered as creative as painting.

After working as a freelance designer for 4 years, Yamamoto formed his own company in 1972 and showed his first collection in Japan in 1976. The presentation of his shows made him almost instantly famous. By blending the vigorous, exotic and powerful designs of traditional Japanese dress with Western daywear, he managed to achieve an unique, abstract style. He designed clothes that could be loosely layered in a manner that was comfortable, smart and strangely elegant. Everyone wanted to wear the hard rigid shapes coming out of Paris, but he made it possible to wear something which was also very different.

By the mid-1970's, Yohji Yamamoto started mixing with Rei Kawakubo and they became involved both creatively and romantically, in a relationship that still survives on a platonic level up to today.

In 1981, Yamamoto opened his boutique in Paris. Uproar greeted his first shows. There had not been anything like the black, billowing, layered clothes ever before in Paris. Now, he has been proven right, as Yamamoto's clothes are very successful worldwide. He has also started showing his ready-to-wear collections.

In 1999, his final wedding dress was topped by a hat so big that 4 men were required with long poles to hold it up.

In Fall of the year of 2000, Yohji Yamamoto agreed on a one-season trainer deal with sports shoe label Adidas.

The Style of Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto's style is that of an uncompromising non-traditionalist designer. He swathes and wraps the body in unstructured, loose, voluminous garments, which are similar in style and philosophy to those of Rei Kawakubo. Many of his clothes have additional flaps, pockets and straps. Yohji Yamamoto is now famous for his minimalistic, all-black clothing, perfect for those in search of 'no frills' and formal garments.

 

Find fashion by Yohji Yamamoto @ the following eshop: