Japanese streetwear wins fans through subtle details

Japanese clothing is attracting growing interest among Finnish fashion followers, Yle reports. Henrik Aikio, 30, and Venla Raivio, 28, are drawn to carefully considered details, muted colours, comfort, practicality and materials such as linen.

Their clothes are not designed to stand out immediately. Instead of large logos and bright colours, their wardrobes favour earthy tones, including dark blue and dark green.

“You do not often come across people on the street who dress in the same way,” Aikio says.

The style can more specifically be described as Japanese Americana, a strand of Japanese streetwear that emerged during the US occupation of Japan after the Second World War. Jeans and military patterns gradually became part of the wardrobes of fashion-conscious Japanese people.

Over the decades, the style has been adapted and rebuilt in Japan. Its appreciation of quality and the look of worn clothing has remained at its core.

Interest grows on fashion apps

Aikio became interested in fashion through online forums in the early 2010s.

“I realised how high-quality the clothes made in Japan are. Today, in addition to buying clothes from physical shops, I buy a lot from Vinted and eBay,” he says.

Vinted, a marketplace specialising in second-hand clothing, has seen sellers begin adding Japan-related tags to their listings. The same trend appears on Grailed, an app focused on luxury and streetwear, where Japanese denim is of particular interest to users.

According to culture journalist Jani Niipola, fashion’s smaller trends are easier to find and buy through apps than they were in the past.

Not all clothing tagged as Japanese fashion on the apps is necessarily of Japanese origin. The popularity of references to Japan nevertheless suggests that a product’s country of origin can help sell it.

Interest in Japanese fashion is not limited to apps. Japanese designers have received considerable attention in recent years at Pitti Uomo, an important men’s fashion event held in Florence, Italy. The trend has also appeared at the LVMH Prize, a competition for professional designers held in Paris.

Japanese clothing is available in Helsinki

Japanese streetwear is not yet a major phenomenon on Finnish streets. Fashion enthusiasts can, however, find Japanese clothing in Helsinki streetwear shops such as Common. The Helsinki Playground collective has also collaborated with Japanese brands.

Niipola says Helsinki has vintage shops inspired by Japanese Americana that appear to be doing well. He believes the buying habits of fashion-conscious consumers could prove decisive. The selection of vintage shops selling workwear from brands such as Dickies and Carhartt may not be stylistically far from Japanese Americana.

Raivio’s interest in Japanese fashion began through workwear and skate fashion.

“I wanted to find wide trousers and slightly more unusual shirts. I noticed that they are easier to find from Japanese brands and designers,” she says.

Raivio draws inspiration from the Japanese Popeye fashion magazine.

Influences are increasingly difficult to define

Wide-leg trousers are one recognisable example of Japanese streetwear’s influence in recent years. Their popularity could also be linked to the spread of skate culture.

Fashion trends are now difficult to categorise and define because social media causes influences to mix more quickly than before.

The appeal of Japanese Americana lies in its details and materials rather than its logos. Niipola says the adoption and adaptation of influences have always been central to Japanese streetwear.

“Between the extremes of creating something new and copying, there is an area of interpretation where a little effort can achieve a lot. Perhaps that permission to experiment speaks to people,” he says.

Raivio believes Japan offers something that can no longer be found locally: quality, a wide range of materials and different style directions.