Fashion brands — country: Japan | Page 7

ARTISAN&ARTIST is a Japanese brand founded in Tokyo in 1991 by product designer and photographer Seiichiro Hangu. Starting with makeup boxes and brushes for makeup artists and stylists, it has expanded into cosmetic pouches, casual bags, camera bags and straps, among other products. Its design philosophy centers on high-quality craftsmanship that combines artisans’ skills with artists’ sensibilities. Products are developed with a focus on functionality, carefully selected materials, and the work of skilled craftspeople. The brand has expanded its sales channels beyond Japan to department stores and select shops overseas.

ARTIST is a line developed by NIPOALOHA, a Japanese aloha shirt brand founded by Shinichi Hasegawa. While the KIMONO line uses kimono-derived fabrics and traditional patterns, the ARTIST line focuses primarily on aloha shirts featuring designs created in collaboration with contemporary artists. It is a derivative line that shares NIPOALOHA’s manufacturing in Japan and is not an independent brand.

ARTISTIC&CO. is a Japanese beauty device brand founded by Hideki Kondo in 2008. Starting with the development of professional-use beauty devices, it manufactures and sells beauty-related products, primarily home-use and professional-use facial devices, and develops OEM and private-label products. The brand offers series such as Dr.Arrivo, Miss Arrivo, and Dr.Fresco, and sells products equipped with proprietary technologies in Japan and overseas.

ARTS&CRAFTS is a bag and leather goods brand launched in Japan in 2006 by bag designer Takao Fujimoto. Combining a contemporary sensibility with artisanal techniques, it offers bags, small leather goods, belts, and other items under the theme “FUNCTIONAL BEAUTY.” Inspired by the philosophy of William Morris’s Arts and Crafts movement, the brand presents simple, handcrafted staples designed for long-term use. Its series include AGING CANVAS, ELBAMATT ACC, KUDU NAKED, and LINEN CANVAS, and it continues to develop its collections today.

ARVELLIA is a womenswear brand operated in Japan by PETTERS Co., Ltd. The brand name derives from Armor and Vela, a Latin word meaning “sail” or “expanse.” It proposes clothing for women in their late twenties to mid-forties who continue to take on challenges, offering ways to renew themselves through what they wear. Its range includes tops, dresses, skirts, pants, and outerwear. Guided by “Strong, beautiful, and free,” the brand symbolizes the inner strength of women who take on challenges.

AS KNOW AS plus is a Japanese brand that launched in April 2021 under the name “AS KNOW AS plus.” It is operated by AS KNOW AS Co., Ltd., which was established in April 1989 in Kamiyamacho, Shibuya-ku. The company began operations with two people: Representative Director Eri Asami and Senior Managing Director Hiroki Watanabe. The brand develops its offerings around clothing, lifestyle, and culture, and states that it connects new discoveries to making things and designs environments to propose a “plus” to people’s hearts.

AS SUPER SONIC is a brand operated as the official online shop of solid.co.,ltd. (Solid Co., Ltd.), an apparel manufacturer that designs and produces menswear made in Japan. It is introduced as a domestic brand focused primarily on menswear, with an emphasis on design and silhouette. Related lines include the accessories line PARASHUTO AS SUPER SONIC.

AS2OV is a Japanese bag brand launched in 2013 by Taichi Fujimatsu, formerly a director and designer at master-piece, and a team of designers. Its products are designed by bag designers drawing on their experience and combine basic designs with functional features, such as pockets and storage, suited to the belongings of contemporary users. The brand name derives from the initial letters of “A SHARED SENSE OF VALUE,” and its guiding principle is the desire to let more people experience high-quality products. Its wide-ranging lineup focuses on backpacks, shoulder bags, and business bags, and also includes items for outdoor activities and golf.

AS2OV GOLF is a golf series derived from the Japanese bag brand AS2OV. AS2OV was launched in 2013 by Daichi Fujimatsu, director and designer at master-piece, and the design team. With “A SHARED SENSE OF VALUE” as its theme, it aims to bring products that combine considered design and functionality to a wider audience. It offers items needed for a round, including caddie bags and head covers.

ASAHI is a Japanese footwear brand launched in 2016 by ASAHI SHOES, headquartered in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. It offers shoes made at its Kurume factory, focusing on deck shoes, trainers, and sneakers with belt closures. Drawing on the company’s expertise rooted in tabi and rubber footwear, as well as running-shoe construction methods passed down since the 1970s, its lines include ASAHI ATHLETIC, ASAHI DECK, and ASAHI BELTED. The brand is centered on carrying forward traditional manufacturing techniques and reinterpreting them for the present.

ASAHI ATHLETIC is a footwear line from ASAHI, headquartered in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, where it also operates a factory. ASAHI Shoes traces its origins to a tailoring business started in Kurume in 1892 by its founder, Tokujirō Ishibashi, and has manufactured rubber footwear and leather shoes. Developed from 2016 as a new line combining shoemaking techniques with design, ASAHI ATHLETIC offers Japanese-made sneakers with canvas uppers and rubber soles. ASAHI 046 proposes athletic shoes focused on functionality, based on sole molds and lasts designed in the 1980s.

ASAHI BELTED is a Japanese footwear line by ASAHI Shoes, founded in 1892. The ASAHI brand launched in spring 2017, and BELTED was introduced with the autumn/winter line later that year. Inspired by manufacturing methods from the 1970s, its defining technique involves wrapping cotton herringbone tape around the shoe like a belt when bonding the leather upper to the rubber using the vulcanization process. The line includes leather and suede low-tops, high-tops, slip-ons, and other styles, all made in Japan.

ASAHI DECK is a Japanese deck shoe line developed under ASAHI, a brand of ASAHI SHOES, based in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. ASAHI SHOES, the company behind ASAHI, was founded by Tokujirō Ishibashi in 1892, and development of this line began in 2016. Based on American-made deck shoes from the 1970s, it uses shoe lasts from that era to pursue the original silhouette of deck shoes. Its features include a wave-shaped outsole and vulcanized construction, and it is produced entirely at the Kurume factory.

Asahi Footcare is a Japanese foot-care shoe brand launched by Asahi Shoes in 2021. Jointly developed by Asahi Shoes, the Faculty of Medicine at Saga University, and its affiliated hospital, the brand offers shoes designed with consideration for foot problems such as corns, ingrown toenails, and bunions, as well as strain on the feet, drawing on research conducted since 2011. Its focus is on a seamless construction that minimizes seams and unevenness, a soft feel when worn, and hygiene, under the concept of “shoes that protect foot health.” Its main models include 005 and 006.

Asahi Medical Walk is a Japanese functional footwear brand developed by ASAHI SHOES. It was launched in 2006 through a collaboration among industry, academia, and medical institutions, involving ASAHI SHOES, Kyushu University, and medical institutions. Centered on walking shoes equipped with the SHM® function, which assists the knees’ natural rotational movement, the brand focuses on reducing strain on the knees and supporting ideal walking. Its development philosophy is expressed as “Health through walking” and “I want to walk on my own knees for my whole life.”

ASAHI SCHOOL (ASAHI for SCHOOL) is a Japanese school shoe line developed by Asahi Shoes Co., Ltd., founded in 1892. It offers shoes for school life, including indoor shoes, gym shoes, and shoes for commuting to school, for children from preschool age through their school years. Its official message is, “For the precious children who will shape the next generation. ‘Peace of mind’ and ‘trust,’ in every era.” The line focuses on practical products that support children’s feet and is also connected to Asahi Shoes’ corporate philosophy of contributing to the health of people in Japan through shoes.

ASAHI SHOES is a Japanese footwear brand originating from Shimaya, a tailoring business founded by Tokujirō Ishibashi in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, in 1892. The company manufactures and sells rubber footwear and leather shoes, offering footwear designed to support healthy, comfortable walking for people of all ages, from children to older adults. Guided by the corporate philosophy “Contributing to the promotion of health in Japan through shoes,” it develops products based on research into the mechanics of the body and joint development with medical institutions, including 快歩主義, アサヒメディカルウォーク, トップドライ, アサヒフットケア, and 通勤快足. Centered on more than 130 years of manufacturing expertise passed down in Kurume, it offers a wide range of footwear, from everyday shoes to walking shoes.

ASAHI TRAINER is a Japanese sneaker line launched in spring 2017 under ASAHI, a brand operated by ASAHI SHOES, founded in 1892. Based at a factory in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, the line was developed using techniques from jogging shoe manufacturing that have continued since the 1970s, as well as the lasts and manufacturing methods used for running shoes at the time. It produced trainers made in Japan that incorporated traditional techniques from the Kurume factory, including a process in which each EVA midsole was carved individually. The series expanded to include models such as TRAINER 2, 3, and 4, but production has now ended.

ASAUCE MELER is a Japanese stole brand that began in Fall/Winter 2012 as an in-house brand within the women's division of Ainex. Its guiding phrase is “The finest materials for everyday,” and the brand is committed to selecting high-quality materials and making its products with skilled craftsmanship. Since 2017, director Mayuko Otani has led the brand, which offers stoles primarily in linen, silk, and cashmere.

ASEEDONCLOUD is a Japanese fashion brand founded in 2009 by designer Kentaro Tamai. Starting from old workwear dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, it creates clothing inspired by the lifestyles of people in various occupations. The brand is based on natural materials and incorporates wit and humor into the beauty of workwear and the identities behind it, bringing the realities of occupational life into its designs. It also operates Handwerker, a small collection derived from ASEEDONCLOUD that offers workwear suited to everyday wear.

ASHELEN is a bag brand developed by Human Resource Management Co., Ltd. (Kobe Ash R.M.). It began with leather bags conceived in France in 2016 and produced in Italy, and has since developed around a soft feel under the name “MY DAILY BAG.” In addition to leather bags, its lineup has expanded to include canvas bags, shoulder straps, apparel, and miscellaneous goods. Its collections include OVAL, POSTINO, and CANVAS. Its concept is “Kobe Yamanote Style,” a fashion approach for living a fulfilling life with family and loved ones.

ASHINAGAOJISAN is a Japanese women's footwear brand founded by Akira Tanabe in Asakusa, Tokyo, in 1978. Crossroad Co., Ltd. handles its planning, production, and sales, offering pumps, flat shoes, boots, sandals, and other styles. The brand centers on classic casual shoes made with leather and featuring rounded silhouettes. Its shoemaking philosophy is to “cherish the good styles of the past while continually seeking out newness found nowhere else.” It also works on comfort through original lasts and soles, and operates related brands such as by Ashinaga Ojisan and EN Ashinaga Ojisan.

ASICS is a Japanese sports brand founded in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka as its predecessor, Onitsuka Co., Ltd. With a focus on running, it offers footwear, apparel, and sports equipment, and is committed to providing valuable products and services guided by its founding philosophy, “Sound Mind, Sound Body” (a healthy mind in a healthy body). The group also operates Onitsuka Tiger as a brand.

ASICS NOVALIS is a Japan-origin unisex line jointly developed by ASICS and Kiko Kostadinov Studio. Announced in 2023, it focuses on apparel and also offers footwear. Carrying forward ASICS’ “Sound Mind, Sound Body” philosophy, it proposes designs for everyday wear that go beyond the boundaries of sports performance. Kiko Kostadinov and his studio are involved in the design.

ASICS SKATEBOARDING is a Japan-origin skateboarding shoe line launched by ASICS. It began in Japan in 2020 and draws on the company’s accumulated experience in sports shoe development, dating back to its founding in 1949 by ASICS founder Kihachiro Onitsuka. The line incorporates feedback from top skaters and proprietary technologies into its products. Guided by the aim of “enabling everyone to enjoy skateboarding in their own way,” it offers models including JAPAN PRO, GEL-FLEXKEE PRO, and GEL-VICKKA PRO. It specializes in shoes designed with an emphasis on comfort, durability, and board control, based on analyses of skateboarders’ movements.

ASICS SportStyle is a lifestyle footwear/apparel category offered by ASICS, founded by Kihachiro Onitsuka in Kobe, Japan, in 1949. Drawing on the heritage of athletic products such as running gear, it offers sneakers, clothing, and accessories suited to everyday wear. Officially, it aims to “combine classic designs with modern innovation” and balance sports-derived functionality with style.

ASICS Tiger was relaunched in January 2015 as ASICS’s sports lifestyle brand. ASICS was founded by Kihachiro Onitsuka in Kobe in 1949. Inspired by retro athletic shoes, it pursues evolution incorporating quality and technology, guided by “Rooted in ASICS’ history, focus on quality, and designs supported by technology.” In addition to shoes, it offers apparel and accessories.

ASICS Walking RUNWALK is a business shoe line offered in Japan (JP). ASICS Walking began its business in 1983, when its founder Kihachiro Onitsuka set out with the aspiration of “restoring humanity through health and rich sensibilities.” RUNWALK has been offered since 1994. It applies running shoe technology to walking and offers footwear for a range of business settings, including suit styles.

Wellness Walker by ASICS WALKING is a walking shoe series launched in 1983. As a Japan-origin line specializing in walking, it offers shoes developed through ASICS research in categories ranging from a focus on comfortable walking to a focus on walking performance. The official store presents the lineup according to walking styles such as LONG, FAST, and HIKE, and concepts such as STABILITY and CARE.

ASICS Walking pedala is a Japanese walking shoe brand from ASICS. Launched in 1983 based on an idea by founder Kihachiro Onitsuka, it applies technologies developed through ASICS’ sports shoe development to pursue comfort in wearing and ease of walking. Centered on combining ease of walking with designs suited to business settings, the brand offers shoes for settings ranging from business to everyday wear. It incorporates eight key functions—lightness, grip, cushioning, fit, breathability, durability, stability, and flexibility—according to purpose and setting, and offers comfortable shoes for travel and city wear, among other uses, for men and women in their 50s and 60s.

ASICS WALKING is a Japan-origin brand of walking shoes and business shoes. In 1983, Kihachiro Onitsuka launched the business with the aspiration of “restoring humanity through health and rich sensibilities.” The brand aims to contribute to improved physical and mental health through walking, and offers lines such as RUNWALK and PEDALA to support comfortable walking in everyday life. Its concept is “Supporting the ‘everyday.’ Continuing the ‘everyday.’”

ASTORIA ODIER is a Japanese women's fashion brand launched in 2007 by Astoria Co., Ltd., headquartered in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. As a brand for fashion-focused shopping complexes, it centers on office styles suited to commuting and outings, as well as feminine casual wear. Its brand concept is “Clothing that makes working more enjoyable for women.” It offers clothing for both workdays and days off, and expanded its sales channels to ZOZOTOWN in 2015 and its official online shop in 2016. It also operates stores in commercial facilities such as Lumine and PARCO.

ASTRAET is a Japanese fashion brand operated by UNITED ARROWS. Launched as a specialty-store brand in February 2012, it targets emotionally mature adults of all genders and aims to offer clothing centered on quality, combining its own designs (private-label products) with sourced items. Its official concept is guided by the theme “STREET COUTURE”: bringing past archives together in a contemporary way and developing street style through structured silhouettes. Its brand page on the official online store remains active.

ASTRONOMY is a Japanese business-casual brand for men and women developed by SEETHELIGHT Co., Ltd. Following the opening of a physical store in Koenji, Tokyo, and the start of sales that same year in 2014, the brand set out to stylishly transform busy businesspeople under the theme of “thoughtful, meticulous attention to detail.” Its collections make use of functional materials such as Coolmax and are centered on a focus on comfort and quality. ASTRONOMY is an entirely original brand by SEETHELIGHT.

AS_LABO is a Japanese jewelry brand launched in 2016. It was established by a creative team involved in craftsmanship for brands including Agete. Centered on free-spirited ideas, a commitment to materials, and handwork, the brand creates “new value” by combining traditional techniques with other methods. Through new techniques and uses of materials that go beyond conventional boundaries, as well as combinations of different materials, it offers jewelry centered on colored gemstones and lifestyle goods.

AT CREATION is a women's fashion brand featured on ZOZOTOWN and WEAR. It offers a wide range of fashion accessories, focusing on bags, as well as apparel such as tops and bottoms. The brand name is written as “AT CREATION.”

ATELANE is an original brand developed by Japanese apparel company SR United. Incorporating street and mode influences, it proposes trend-driven daily wear under the theme “Enjoy every day,” focusing on casual clothing such as tops, shirts, knitwear, and pants. Iruka is introduced as the brand director and develops products by combining original ideas with trends. Its operation as one of the company’s original brands was confirmed as of 2021, and sales are still ongoing.

ATELIER BRUGGE is a brand operated by Atelier Brugge Co., Ltd., established in December 2003. The brand handles a wide range of items, centered on leather women’s shoes, including women’s fashion accessories and accessories. Its wardrobe offering is based on daily use for adult women. The brand’s stated approach emphasizes materials and quality while remaining basic, with styles suited to both elegant and casual settings, and attention to craftsmanship in the details. The representative director is 脇山 義友, and the company operates from its headquarters in Fukuoka.

ATHREAM is a private shoe brand launched in Japan in 2021 by GFOOT Co., Ltd. It offers sneakers, sandals, and other footwear suited to everyday use, including for running and walking, incorporating features such as wide-fit designs, waterproofing and water resistance, lightweight construction, and high-rebound cushioning. Centered on a balance of price, quality, and design, the brand offers high-performance products for everyday use. Its products are sold mainly at GFOOT stores such as ASBee, and the brand continues to expand its product range.

ATION is an in-house brand of Kajimeiku, headquartered in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. It offers functional apparel primarily focused on workwear and underwear for men, designed for active uses such as sports, outdoor activities, and light-duty work. The brand emphasizes features including breathability, sweat absorption and management, cooling, and odor control, with series such as Crater Mesh and Shade Dryner. Its apparel combines comfort and practicality for everyday wear, work, and exercise.

ATLANTA is a leather goods brand developed by UN BILLION S.A. It offers everyday leather accessories, such as bags and wallets, centered on the themes of “naturalness” and “lightness (usefulness)” in daily life.

ATMARK is a streetwear brand founded in Japan. Combining street culture and trends, it is centered on connecting “people” and “clothing” and offers T-shirts, sweatshirts, pants, outerwear, hats, accessories, and other items that can be worn regardless of gender. Its items are characterized by distinctive graphics and a vintage feel, and are sold through its official online store and ZOZOTOWN. The brand remains active.

ATON is a Japanese unisex fashion brand founded by 久﨑康晴 for the Fall/Winter 2016 season. It offers cross-category clothing spanning menswear and womenswear, emphasizing research that draws on the inherent qualities of materials and an integrated approach to production, working with producers from raw materials through finishing. Its official phrase is “Something found only here,” and it proposes “real standards that can be worn with ease by adults who have established their own style.” Centered on updating standards, its wardrobe focuses on everyday clothing such as T-shirts and sweatshirts, and also includes ATONSTAPLeS.

ATONSTAPLeS is a Japanese fashion brand and project launched in November 2023 by 久﨑康晴, director of ATON. Its offerings center on staple items essential to an everyday wardrobe, such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, socks, and underwear, and also include lifestyle goods such as bags, eyeglass cases, and mugs. Revisiting the foundational principle of “bringing things together,” the project reimagines everyday essentials from its own perspective and proposes new items. It offers casual, gender-neutral items intended to be reached for 365 days a year, primarily online.

ATSURO TAYAMA is a Japanese fashion brand whose origins date back to 1982, when Atsuro Tayama established A.T. Co., Ltd. and launched the A.T brand. In 1989, he started the ATSURO TAYAMA brand in Paris. Based on a menswear-inspired aesthetic, the brand focuses on creating clothing for working women and primarily develops womenswear. Atsuro Tayama himself is responsible for design, and the brand continues to participate in Paris prêt-à-porter collections. It is currently developed by Cross Plus.

ATTACHMENT is a Japanese fashion brand founded in Tokyo in 1999 by Kazuyuki Kumagai. Its offerings center on ready-to-wear, primarily for men, and extend to shoes, bags, hats, and accessories. Drawing on his experience at Issey Miyake, Kumagai places importance on material selection and meticulous tailoring. Based on the concept of “clothes that bring out the wearer,” the brand is available at select shops and directly operated stores in Japan and overseas. Mitsuki Enomoto has served as designer since 2022–2023 F/W.

ATTESA is a Japanese watch brand established in 1987. Centered on Citizen’s titanium processing technology, it uses lightweight, skin-friendly titanium for cases and bands, combining it with technologies such as Eco-Drive. The brand name means “expectation” and “premonition” in Italian. CITIZEN DESIGN features product designer Takashi Izuka, who has primarily worked on ATTESA.

ATTESA ACT Line debuted in 2019 as a series of models within Citizen’s wristwatch brand Citizen ATTESA. Centered on a bold, lightweight design suited to both business and casual styles, the models feature cases and bands made of lightweight, scratch-resistant Super Titanium™, Direct Flight for world time, and sapphire glass for improved visibility. Their functionality supports a wide range of activities, from work and everyday life in the city to business trips and travel.

ATTESA Radio-Controlled is an Eco-Drive radio-controlled watch line within the ATTESA brand developed by Citizen. The “ATTESA Radio-Controlled,” launched in 2003, is presented as the world’s first radio-controlled watch with an antenna built into the case and a full-metal exterior. The ATTESA brand itself debuted in 1987 and, drawing on titanium-processing technology, has been committed to keeping reliable time on the wrists of people who challenge the future.

ATTISESSION is a womenswear brand launched by UNITED ARROWS in spring 2024. It proposes a wardrobe for modern women who combine delicacy with independence, and develops a “special piece” suited to each occasion around four elements: “BASIC,” “CLASSIC,” “ROMANTIC,” and “COUNTER ATTITUDE (UNDER GROUND).” Directed by 四谷 奈々可, the brand focuses on items such as cut-and-sewn tops, shirts, bottoms, jackets, and outerwear. It continues to be available through UNITED ARROWS Online and stores.