Up for sale here is a t-shirt from Yohji Yamamoto’s Y’s for Men label. The Y’s for Men label was a long-running companion to the Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme flagship label. Where Pour Homme was Yohji’s Paris runway collection, Y’s for Men was the somewhat paired-down “basics” line. That’s not to say that anything Yohji puts out is in any way basic, nor was the quality compromised really in any way with Y’s for Men, but design was a bit simplified and prices were a bit cheaper than the main line. The Y’s for Men line ended around 2009 or so when Yohji declared bankruptcy, although was recently relaunched. Still, these original Y’s pieces are increasingly hard to come by.
This shirt is classic Yohji in really every sense. You’ve got an excellent standard weight, super high quality cotton fabric in a very dark shade of navy blue. Fabric quality is typically high, where this is one of those long staple cottons that manages to be light in weight yet surprisingly durable. The twist comes with the front, where there is a white and blue vertical stripe on the left side. It should be noted that this stripe is actually different fabrics cut into the shirt, not a print or anything like that. Cutting the shirt and sewing in the different fabrics is a much more labor-intensive process, but one that looks really cool. Yohji is never one to cut corners and the quality shows.
Fit is very much done in Yohji’s signature loose silhouette, easily integrated into any Yohji/Comme des Garcons/Issey Miyake-centric wardrobe. Yohji’s design philosophy is all about comfort, where his clothes never restrict you in any way. The clothes drape loosely, making the wearer both comfortable and confident. It’s something very much at odds with a lot of thinking about fashion, but also something that seems to come back into vogue from time to time. The Y’s for Men line, much like Pour Homme, retailed at ridiculously expensive prices. These pieces are now long gone as well, although it’s available here at a very reasonable price.
Size is labeled a 3. This is a Yohji large, and is intended to fit loose. I measure the chest at 22.5”, shoulders at 18”, and length at 28”. The shirt comes in used but good shape. There is some wear to the fabric, but no holes, tears or stains. Made in Japan.
Shipping from Japan to anywhere will be $24.