Though Yohji Yamamoto is best known for his avant-garde approach to clothing, with drape-like silhouettes characterising much of his runways, the designer also has a repertoire in the arts — particularly in painting. Akin to his predominantly black sartorial aesthetic, his paintings with human subjects present fluid silhouettes that give off the impression of a continuous line drawn from neck to toe.

Yamamoto’s flair for such a technique was presented in his 2013 exhibition titled “Art Complex by Yohji Yamamoto: A Beauty Looking Back”. In pursuing the depiction of a beautiful woman’s back that was a common motif in Japanese ukiyo-e art, the designer painted various back portraits of women in his distinctive style. The result was a collection of charcoal and ink brush art that featured female figures, often as if they are deep in contemplation. This installation has been noted to be a moving and evocative — which are descriptors often tied to the man’s runways.

And now this particular installation has become the source inspiration for this Fall/Winter 2022 Yohji Yamamoto x New Era collaboration. Tees are printed works straight from the installation and paired with Yohji Yamamoto’s banding. Aligning with New Era’s premium headwear offerings, bucket hats and 9THIRTY caps with the designer-cum-artist logo is also available within the capsule.

This Yohji Yamamoto x New Era FW2022 collection will be released on 10 August 2022. The t-shirts will retail for ¥17600 (~US$132) while the bucket hats 9THIRTY caps are priced at ¥12100 (~US$91).

In other exciting collaborations coming out, check out this Off-White x Futura x Nike Dunk Low that’s on its way.