Yoshiki, a Japanese rock artist founded his luxury kimono label in 2009. The founder and designer established the brand partly to honour his family and his heritage, as his parents ran a kimono shop throughout his childhood. In Japan, it is customary that the eldest male will take on the family business, and having become a musician, Yoshiki had somewhat subverted this tradition. With the introduction of the Yoshikimono label, Yoshiki feels that he has continued his family’s dream and can also introduce the Japanese kimono to a global audience.
Yoshikimono can be seen as a balance of the classic and the modern, with the designer drawing inspiration from the heritage of Japan and its fashion while consecutively viewing the design process through a modern lens. Traditional cultural elements of Japan are represented throughout collections, met with unexpected contemporary accents and exciting materials such as leather and voile. Yoshikimono designs have been known for their avant-garde sensibilities, and collections feature a wide range of colours and patterns. Exciting, contemporary prints are signature amongst designs, seen in abstract stripes, checkerboard patterns and unique florals. A 2020 collection featured graphic prints from the anime series Attack on Titan, as well as from the Blood Red Dragon comic book, resulting in bold designs with engaging pop culture references.
Collections from Yoshikimono can be accessed through the brand’s online store.