Yohji Yamamoto and Y’s: what is the difference?
Yohji Yamamoto is often described as the poet of black. Since the early 1980s, his flowing, oversized garments have shaped how many people think about elegance and ease. If you shop for his work, you will meet two names again and again: Yohji Yamamoto and Y’s. They are related, but they are not the same. This guide explains the difference and how to choose between them.
Where it began
Yohji Yamamoto was born in Tokyo in 1943. He studied law before turning to fashion and trained at the Bunka Fashion College. In 1972 he founded his company and launched Y’s, the label that came first in his career. His Paris debut in 1981, around the same time as Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, introduced the international press to an approach based on asymmetry, volume and an almost exclusive use of black.
Yamamoto has often explained that he sees black as modest and strong at the same time, a colour that lets the shape of the garment speak. His clothes are made to move with the body rather than to show it off.
The Yohji Yamamoto main line
The Yohji Yamamoto collections, for women and for men under Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme, are the designer’s runway lines. They are where his ideas are most fully expressed: long coats with complex draping, tailoring with deliberate imperfections, layered pieces and fabrics such as gabardine and wool that fall heavily and softly. Pieces from the main line are often the most collectable, and particular seasons are famous among collectors.
Y’s
Y’s is the label Yamamoto created first, originally focused on womenswear. It shares the house language of black, volume and fluid lines, but it is generally more wearable and more relaxed. You will find trousers, shirts, dresses, skirts and jackets that can enter an everyday wardrobe easily while still carrying the designer’s spirit. A striped Y’s blazer we listed recently, for example, combined a classic tailoring idea with the soft structure typical of the line.
How to tell them apart
The simplest way is the label: Y’s pieces carry the Y’s label, while main line pieces carry Yohji Yamamoto or Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme. Beyond that, main line garments are often more experimental in construction and proportion. Y’s pieces are easier to combine and are often more accessible in price on the archive market, which makes them a good entry point.
Fit and sizing
Both lines use Japanese numbered sizing in many cases, and both are cut generously. A size 2 in one season may fit differently from a size 2 in another. Volume is intentional, so do not automatically size down. Look at the shoulders and sleeve length, which are usually the most important points for jackets and coats. Trousers may be wide and long by design, made to be worn with a break or rolled.
Caring for Yohji Yamamoto garments
Yamamoto often works with wool gabardine, rayon, linen and cotton that drape heavily. These fabrics like gentle care: professional dry cleaning for tailoring and coats, and a cool, gentle wash for simpler pieces only when the care label allows it. Hang jackets on shaped hangers and give long coats enough space so the drape is not crushed. Black fabrics can fade with strong sunlight, so keep them away from windows. A steamer is often kinder than an iron for removing creases while keeping the soft structure that defines his work.
How to wear Yohji in Dubai
Dark colours and loose shapes might not sound like a natural fit for a hot city, but many Yamamoto pieces work very well here. Lightweight wools, linen blends and loose cuts let air move around the body. In the cooler months, a long jacket or coat becomes a statement layer for evenings in Alserkal Avenue or the desert.
Choosing your first piece
If you want a piece you will wear constantly, start with Y’s trousers, a shirt or a simple jacket. If you are drawn to the drama of the runway, a main line coat or tailored piece will be a long-term investment. Either way, try it on and see how it moves. That movement is the essence of Yamamoto’s work.
At H5 lab, Yohji Yamamoto and Y’s are part of our core selection alongside Issey Miyake and Comme des Garçons. Message us on Instagram to ask what is currently on the rails.
