10 Japanese Brands to Check Out Based on Labels You Already Like

Image via Complex Original

Ralph Lauren may be the epitome of American luxury and prep, but the Denim & Supply line is almost the reverse, focusing on a free-loving, reworked, and patched up aesthetic on flannels, chunky knits, and of course, denim. The intention is for the collections to have a found materials vibe, something that blends with the Americana inspiration of both the individual brand, and all of Ralph Lauren's lines as a whole.

Click over to Kapital's website and the similarities are immediately apparent. With an identity firmly rooted bohemian design that is simultaneously familiar and unlike anything you've ever seen, Kapital is probably one of the few brands a Japanese hippie/scavenger/mountain man reaches for every morning. If you're heading to a vision quest in the desert of the Southwest, or want to stunt on the hackey-sack playing herbs that always scoop the crunchy girls, either Kapital or Denim & Supply would lace you up proper.

Mark McNairy is known for doing things his way. Whether it's having rappers like Danny Brown or Cam'ron walk his runway shoes, or adorning his gear in daisies and rubber duckies, McNairy is as much about making fun of fashion as he a part of it. Known for his love of camo, along with traditional footwear silhouettes updated with modern patterns and color, McNairy is all about having fun while offering top-notch gear, which is exactly the mentality behind Mr. Bathing Ape.

Mr. Bathing Ape is basically BAPE, but for grown-ups. You'll find plenty of signature BAPE elements—the camo, pattern mixing, and a few pops of color are all there—just on tailored menswear that's necessary for dudes who grew up with the legendary streetwear brand but now need wardrobe staples beyond hoodies and tees. Everything from derby shoes, to ties, to full suits are available from the label, but these garments are distinctly “BAPE,” and just like McNairy's goods, the fun and "fuck you" attitude are all in the details.

While growing up in Japan, Daiki Suzuki fell in love with American military garb and classic sportswear, and that passion is apparent in everything his NYC-based Engineered Garments brand stands for. The label embodies a successful mix of the bygone aesthetics of technical garment design from a time when your gear was built to last a lifetime.

The Real McCoy's is like Engineered Garments—if it insisted on recreating archival pieces instead of “engineering” it with a modern twist. Cruising through a collection from this Japanese brand is like going into your grandparent's attic and finding all the clothes that he wore bac, in the day, perfectly preserved and perfectly in your size. Everything from the details to the construction is replicated, as close as possible, to the garment's original specs. If you're a dude with a diehard commitment to quality and timeless clothing, both EG and The Real McCoy's need to be in your closet.

Black Scale has risen out of the shadows that inspire its designs, quickly growing a fanbase that has gone from cult to across the spectrum. The label itself is inspired by black magic, satanism, and hard rock, but as the brand has expanded, so has it's offerings. However, it has never lost track of the macabre inspirations that continue to feed into a globally-desired brand.

Cav Empt (also known as C.E.) also utilizes the same glitched-out, heavily graphic aesthetic across T-shirts, baggy sweaters, and outerwear. While Black Scale has focused on a primarily monochromatic color palette, Cav Empt has spread futuristic graphics in vibrant colors against muted tones. Considering that C.E., founded in 2012, was started by Sk8thing—a graphic artist for such names as Billionaire Boys Club and BAPE—it's no surprise that his own personal aesthetic is leading the way for streetwear brands heading into unchartered territory.

J.Crew is the average American's idea of “dressing well”—and that's not inherently a bad thing. Most guys look to J.Crew to provide them with wearable basics that include everything from tees to suiting to necessary knits. You may not have a standout wardrobe shopping here, but J.Crew's “middle fashion” approach ensures that just about everything they produce is wearable, of decent quality, and worth the price. 

Journal Standard is created with roughly the same philosphy. Making clothes that are for everyday, it's a label that you can rely on to create a solid looking kit just by assembling assorted pieces from the label. Journal Standard has four major lines, and whether you're shopping the main line, the the upscale Trisect, the modern and almost unisex Relume, and the workwear-ispired J.S. Homestead line, you're in good hands when copping from the Japanese label.

Scandinavia is known for brands that produce minimalist design, while cranking up the contemporary quality. Han Kjøbenhavn has come into its own as a label with modern colorblocking, unstructured tailored shapes, and geometric simplicity. The clothes and colors look as if they apply to the cold winters and mild springs and summers of the Danish brand's homeland, but are also universal enough to be worn and incorporated with other gear for years to come.

Taking a look at Kolor's collections, the same utilization of color blocking and minimalism is clear. The collection definitely have a Scandinavian feel, but with an infusion of Japanese heritage. Junichi Abe's designs and their pops of color are clearly aligned with Han Kjøbenhavn's, and any fan of the latter will definitely put in the time to track down Kolor's rare goods.

Patagonia is a name that's become synonymous with affordable outdoors gear that can also find a home in the city. The label's global interest (especially in Japan) and simplicity in design have always found a fanbase of guys that range from nature diehards to guys who just need to survive a bodega run. For a traditional mountaineering brand out of California, it's permanence is a testament to the quality of the product.

Like Patagonia, nanamica strives on creating outdoor gear that works in sync with any lifestyle—whether you're actually climbing mountains or scrolling for hours at a computer. Utilizing technology as much as timeless style, nanamica is a more refined—albeit more focused—line of “lifewear” with an outerwear design base. If you find yourself constantly reaching for your Patagonia gear, but want something a little more contemporary and classic, nanamica is your new go-to.

Carhartt WIP is basically just the European arm of the workwear classic, creating modern gear for guys who want the durability of Carhartt, without the relaxed (see: oversized) cuts and the workwear-necessary add-ons. It's become an excellently affordable brand that's caught the interest of everyone from Americana addicts to die-hard skaters; there's really something killer in the collection for just about every type of guy.

While Deluxe doesn't have the history of Carhartt, it does look like it could easily fit in the closet of a Carhartt WIP fanboy. Deluxe combines one of Japanese menswear's greatest inspirations—American workwear—and infuses a lifestyle aspect into the entire collection. While not every piece is built to handle workwear specs, the same could be argued for WIP; Just because the inspiration is workwear doesn't mean the clothes are meant to work in. Deluxe is a name that plays with workwear, and splashes color and contemporary design across the staples.

The dark lord himself Rick Owens has not only carved his own high-fashion lane from a shadowy existence, but has set a high bar for luxury labels in the street goth/black sportswear/drapey fabrics market. With admirers from the local forum beast to Kanye, Rick Owens has pioneered an aesthetic that very few have been able to contend with. If this specific aesthetic is your look, then Julius_7 needs to enter your realm of awareness. 

Started as an exploration into the spiritual side of designer Tatsuro Horikawa, Julius_7 has evoked a macabre and drapey style that would have your local street goths drooling. Much like Owens' line, Horikawa's craftsmanship has earned respect from fashionheads and underground fans alike, albeit with a more niche fanbase. If you can afford Rick, but want to try something that Kanye isn't wearing (yet), try Julius_7.

10.Deep is already a legendary streetwear brand,  known for graphically-centered but contemporary and streamlined clothing with a tongue-in-cheek flair. The brand's clothes are distinctly born from its hometown of NYC, but carry with them a modern design pedigree that can be tough to find at this price point level.

Similarly, Magic Stick has been creating collections based on hip-hop and throwback references to the '90s since its inception. Custom jerseys, box-style logos, and luxury and rap logo flips are all found in the pages of Magic Stick's lookbooks. The label has also collaborated with notable names like Pharrell's Billionaire Boys Club, made Yeezy-inspired backpacks, and even used Travis Scott as model. If you love '90s hip-hop and the style that was born of that era, you're going to be at home with both 10.Deep and Magic Stick.