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Palace intrigue, steamy romance, and impeccable costumes: FX’s new Japan-set series Shogun has quickly become THE must-watch show for The Quality Edit’s editors this spring. From its amazing period Japanese sets to its flawless costume design, Shogun is one of the best looking series of the year. Clothes are used across the series to communicate the status and sensibilities of the amazing Japanese and European cast. While we aren’t about to start rocking antique kosodes or Jesuit robes, we can’t get Japanese fashion off our minds.
Long a can’t-miss destination for fashion insiders, Tokyo boasts some of the most exciting and unique brands in the world. It used to be that in order to shop these brands you’d have to make a pilgrimage east to shop IRL, but lucky for us, many of the absolute best Japanese brands now sell with US retailers and have their own US websites so that you can shop without using all your air miles (though after watching countless hours of Shogun, a trip to the Japanese countryside is top of our travel bucket list). Inspired by the setting of our new favorite show, we’ve turned our attention to the contemporary Japanese fashion world and have created an essential guide to the best Japanese brands available to shop from the USA.
If you’re loving FX’s latest hit show, read on for our essential Shogun-inspired style guide to contemporary Japanese fashion.
One of the most exciting up and coming brands in Japan is Anonymousism. Known for their accessories and elevated menswear basics, the brand has recently expanded into the US with a shop in Los Angeles. Their cardigans are unbelievably thin and cosy, and pair perfectly with the rest of their menswear line.
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We first fell in love with Anonymousism via their beautifully made socks. They used to be impossible to track down in America, but are becoming more widely available. Once you buy one pair, you’ll overhaul your entire sock drawer. We love the creative pattern and colors on this khaki pair, but they have dozens of amazing designs to choose from.
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Once you’ve become a convert via their perfect socks, we recommending doubling down and investing in a pair of their boxers. Featuring hand painted patterns and a super comfortable cut, these boxers are the perfect example of how Anonymousism is elevating everyday basics. While they lean towards menswear, we’ve found tons of their styles work well unisex.
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Japan is renowned for its denim, and there are a ton of emerging brands doing fantastically inventive things with the material. We love these slim cut patchwork jeans from Orslow, a brand focusing on reinterpreting workwear classics.
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Auralee’s FW24 show was one of the hottest collections of the year. Combining beautiful tailoring with a muted but subtly varied palette, they’re definitely one of the must-watch Japanese brands on the market. This cropped sheer polo is on trend – and a more interesting dupe for the ubiquitous Miu Miu cropped polo that’s been dominating our feeds for months.
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Doublet may be a young brand, but they’ve established themselves as one of the most exciting streetwear brands in the world, with the artistic pedigree to match. Founded in 2012 by none other than Takashi Murakami and Masayuki Ino, their clothes take inspiration from a variety of subcultures, mashing them up to create menswear that’s anything but basic. Their hoodies have become a real IYKYK fashion insider statement piece.
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Japan has long produced some of the best riffs on American prep style in the world. Beams Plus is an offshoot of the longstanding Beams brand, offering clever takes on Americana-inspired staples. We love the addition of mohair to give this checked cardigan a unique texture.
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And, of course, no round up of the best in Japanese fashion would be complete without mentioning Issey Miyake. The design titan’s signature Pleats Please line is enjoying a welcome resurgence, sported by everyone from F1 champion Lewis Hamilton to forever fashion icon Tilda Swinton. Keep an eye out for new colors of their classic patterns, dropped monthly.
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If binge-watching Shogun has you thinking about taking style cues from Japan, look no further for your guide to the best contemporary Japanese fashion labels.
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