ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses Japanese fashion designers' creative, conceptual, and industrial responses to this existential threat. They have led to a redefinition of the concept of "Made in Japan" in the age of globalized fashion by basing their philosophies on Japanese culture and traditions, instead of following the latest trends from Paris, Milan, and New York, as fast fashion does with increasing speed and efficiency. Since the 1990s, Japanese fashion has experienced a dramatic upheaval as the globalization of fashion retail and production and the recession of Japanese economy have threatened its very existence. Especially to younger generations worldwide, Japanese fashion has become more about street fashion and less about high-profile designers such as Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons. Some Japanese designers have tried to rediscover the aesthetic possibilities of kimono, a garment often viewed as premodern, outdated, and no longer everyday clothing.