Week Four: A Fashion Designer that Broke the Rules

Yohji Yamamoto

My designer of choice would be Mr Yamamoto. He is widely considered to be a master tailor, very well known for his avant-garde tailoring featuring Japanese design aesthetics.

The first rule he broke was to go into fashion. He actually graduated with a Law degree from Keio University in 1966 but he then went into fashion design at Bunka Fashion College.

From there on, his fashion career started and he became well known for frequently creating designs far removed from current trends and also his signature oversized silhouettes in black that often featured drapery in varying textures.

And that was another rule that he broke. While everyone in the 80s were going on about flamboyant bright colors, Mr Yamamoto was designing black clothes. 


Yohji Yamamoto wanted to make men's clothes for women. He felt that his menswear looked as good on women like his womenswear. His designs were meant to protect a woman's body, be it from the cold wind or a man's eyes.


While everyone in the 80s had the mindset that "Bigger is better", Yohji Yamamoto was thinking "Less is More". And while everyone was busy experimenting with yellow eyeshadow, big hair and shoulder pads, Yohji Yamamoto was just all about black. I guess that's the biggest rule that he broke, by going against the social norms completely.