20+ Brands Similar to Yohji Yamamoto : For Stylish Folks

Last year, I became obsessed with Yohji Yamamoto after seeing one of his runway shows.

The flowing black fabrics, exaggerated silhouettes, and avant-garde tailoring just spoke to my minimalist goth soul.

I immediately tried tracking down some second-hand Yohji pieces online.

Wow, talk about sticker shock! I quickly realized I couldn’t afford to build a full Yohji wardrobe on my blogger budget.

What’s a girl to do?

After some deep Etsy dives and late night eBay stalking, I discovered several more wallet-friendly brands that can satisfy my Yohji fashion cravings.

Let me tell you, it was such an “aha moment” to realize I could get the avant-garde look I love without going broke.

Fashion miracles do happen, friends!

So today I wanted to share some more affordable brands that have a similar aesthetic to Yohji Yamamoto.

From oversized tailoring to asymmetric designs, these brands capture that avant-garde spirit while being easier on the wallet.

Let’s dive in:

Rick Owens

If you love Yohji’s all-black palette and flowing, drapey shapes, Rick Owens is a fantastic (and slightly more affordable) alternative.

Known for his “glunge” aesthetic, Rick’s clothes have that effortlessly cool, avant-basic vibe. Oversized tanks, twisted tees, and draped jackets capture the edgy elegance of Yohji’s work.

I’m especially obsessed with Rick’s leather jackets – the lambskin biker styles with extra long sleeves and drapey backs are so chic.

They have that perfect “I’m not trying too hard” look. I also adore his signature thigh-high socks, which add an avant-garde edge to any outfit. And don’t get me started on the geo-pattern knits and drop-crotch sweatpants! They’re the ultimate in slouchy urban cool.

The quality of Rick’s clothes is truly superb – they’re investment pieces that will last forever.

The price tags are high but you can sometimes score Rick pieces on sale or second-hand. I’ve had luck finding previous season items at Ssense and L’Eclaireur.

COS

For avant-garde style on a high street budget, COS can’t be beat. The Scandinavian-based brand specializes in very cool, architectural clothing with interesting silhouettes and details.

You’ll find asymmetrical shapes, curved seams, oversized proportions, and artful layering. Lots of their clothes come in black and charcoal too.

COS is my go-to for quality basics with an avant-garde twist – think boxy cropped tops, split hem pants, and deconstructed trench coats.

Their shoes are also fantastically weird, like the pointed-toe mules and architectural heels. And I love how they reimagine classic pieces like denim jackets and sweatshirts by twisting the shapes and proportions.

The quality and price ratio is amazing – COS is proof you can get Yohji vibes without blowing your budget.

Their coats and jackets are particularly good! I have a beautiful oversized wool coat from COS that looks like it cost 10x what I paid for it. The fabrics and construction stand up to years of wear.

Ann Demeulemeester

Known for her all-black palette and avant-garde silhouettes, Ann Demeulemeester is often compared to Yohji Yamamoto.

She favors asymmetric shapes, elongated proportions, and interesting drapey details. Her clothes have a dark, romantic vibe that fans of Yohji will appreciate.

Ann D.’s dresses are swoon-worthy – think twisted asymmetrical necklines, uneven handkerchief hems, and perfectly draped fabrics.

She also does an amazing twisted take on a classic white button-down. And I adore her leather jackets with extra long sleeves and contoured shaping.

The quality of Ann D. is sublime, making the splurge worthwhile if you can save up. I’ve scored some gorgeous secondhand pieces on TheRealReal. Keep an eye out for sales and vintage Ann D. finds!

Julius

This avant-garde Japanese label captures Yohji’s edgy aesthetic with a streetwear twist. Oversized shapes, asymmetric styling, and cool graphic prints come together in Julius’s signature look.

Julius does great deconstructed denim pieces – think frayed cut-off shorts, asymmetrically patched jeans, and denim coveralls with interesting strap details.

Their oversized graphic tees and hoodies are very cool too. I also love their leather moto pants patched together from panels of biker leather.

The clothes skate that fine line between fashion and anti-fashion, much like Yohji does. Lots of wearable blacks and greys.

The quality is excellent and prices are somewhat affordable for designer fashion. Julius is a great option for edgy urban wear with a Yamamoto vibe.

Maison Margiela

Maison Margiela’s artisanal lines definitely share Yohji’s avant-garde spirit.

From the Replica line’s upcycled materials to the draped Artisanal pieces, Maison Margiela has that twisted deconstruction that Yamamoto fans love.

Margiela does an amazing job of reconstructing vintage pieces like military coats and prairie dresses.

And their Tabi boots with the split toe are pure avant-garde brilliance! I also adore their glitch prints that make normal clothes look digitally warped and pixelated.

Expect exaggerated shapes, uneven hems, and interesting DIY details. The prices get very high but you can sometimes find more affordable diffusion lines. Keep an eye out for Maison Margiela during end-of-season sales!

Y’s by Yohji Yamamoto

If you love the Yohji look but need lower price points, check out Y’s by Yohji Yamamoto. This diffusion line captures his signature draping and oversized silhouettes at slightly more affordable costs.

Y’s does great easy basics like draped tanks, wide leg pants, and asymmetric dresses in soft jersey knits. The quality is quite good for a bridge line.

You’ll also find more statement-making pieces like panelled coats and deconstructed tops – all in that cool Yohji avant-garde spirit.

Y’s is a great way to dip your toes into Yamamoto’s world for less. Their pieces mix really nicely with thrift store finds too!

Song for the Mute

This Australian label serves up avant-garde style with a dark, minimalist vibe. Flowing asymmetrical shapes, layered proportions, and artful draping characterize their aesthetic. Lots of cool coats, trousers, and dresses for fans of Yohji’s avant-garde look.

Song for the Mute does amazing leather jackets, including a super cool asymmetric biker style with an elongated peplum back. Their draped jersey dresses are also gorgeous – think uneven handkerchief hems and contoured bodices. The fabrics have a nice weight and drape to them.

The price points are also lower than other high fashion brands. Song for the Mute nails affordable anti-fashion style.

Boris Bidjan Saberi

Known for his meticulously crafted garments, Boris Bidjan Saberi is a go-to for urban avant-garde wear. The silhouettes play with proportion in really interesting ways.

Boris does these amazing hand-stitched jackets constructed from layered panels in waxed cotton and leather. And his hand-knit crewneck sweaters have an incredible slouchy drape. I also love his paper bag waist trousers with asymmetric strap details.

Oversized coats and asymmetric shirts capture that same edgy energy as Yohji. Lots of great blacks, greys, and earth tones in the palette too. While not cheap, Boris’s clothes are priced lower than other major designer brands with this level of quality.

Demeulemeester

The menswear side of Ann Demeulemeester’s label serves up avant-garde style for guys. Known for her signature draping and blacks, Demeulemeester’s men’s line has an arty urban edge.

They do amazing deconstructed suiting with frayed edges and asymmetry. I also love the perfectly draped coats in lightweight wool. And their leather jackets have that cool avant-garde vibe, like a biker style with an elongated fold-over collar.

The quality of the materials and construction is superb. It’s still a splurge but more affordable than many other avant-garde menswear brands.

Enfants Riches Déprimés

This French label brings dark, avant-garde vibes to streetwear. Known for their goth-punk aesthetic, ERD has an edgy sensibility akin to Yohji. Oversized hoodies, asymmetric dresses, and deconstructed tailoring all feature elongated silhouettes and drapey details.

ERD does really cool graphic tees with gothic motifs like gargoyles and inverted crosses. And I love their oversized hoodies with extra long draped sleeves. Lots of distressed leather pieces too, like moto jackets and patchwork pants.

Lots of moody blacks and greys too. The prices are quite high but you can sometimes find ERD on sale.

Undercover

Japanese designer Jun Takahashi’s label Undercover has an avant-garde punk spirit reminiscent of Yohji. Known for mixing streetwear and high fashion, Undercover makes artfully deconstructed garments with a rebellious edge.

Undercover is great for edgy printed pieces like their graphic tees and embroidered sweatshirts. I especially love the vintage band tee collabs. And their sculptural outerwear takes classic silhouettes to avant-garde new places.

The architectural shapes and asymmetrical designs feel very fresh and modern. Undercover is pricier than fast fashion but more affordable than other avant-garde Japanese brands.

Jil Sander

Known for her minimalist aesthetic, Jil Sander captures Yohji’s avant-garde spirit with a quieter sophistication. Clean lines, muted color palettes, and perfectly draped shapes define the collections.

Jil Sander nails upscale basics like boxy tees, cropped wide leg pants, and oversized blazers in luxe fabrics. I especially love her coat game – think cocoon silhouettes and artfully placed seams. And her leather boots are total modern classics.

Lots of beautifully oversized coats, effortless trousers, and artfully asymmetric dresses. The quality is sublime. At the top end of “affordable luxury,” Jil Sander is a smart alternative to Yohji’s main line.

Carol Christian Poell

This Austrian brand serves up avant-garde fashion with an architectural vibe. Carol Christian Poell is all about unusual shapes, subtle details, and meticulous construction.

Their signature ribbed knits morph classic sweaters into avant-garde sculptures. And the leather jackets feature interesting curved seams and asymmetrical fastenings. I also love the futuristic vibe of pieces like their plastic-layered trench coats.

The oversized silhouettes and asymmetrical designs have a very edgy elegance. The color palette skews dark, in keeping with Yohji’s somber aesthetic. It’s very expensive but you can sometimes find Carol Christian Poell secondhand.

Juun J

Designed by Justin Jung, Juun J serves up cool urban streetwear with avant-garde appeal. Drapey oversized layers, elongated jackets, and deconstructed details characterize Juun J’s aesthetic.

Juun J does really interesting takes on classic pieces like overcoats and varsity jackets – think extra long lengths, curved seams, and asymmetric fastenings. Their trousers are beautifully draped too. I especially love the urban track pants vibe.

The silhouettes play with proportion in really interesting ways. Lots of wearable blacks, greys, and whites for easy mixing and matching. Juun J is a contemporary designer but his clothes offer high quality craftsmanship.

Damir Doma

With his artfully crafted garments, Damir Doma has a stark elegance reminiscent of Yohji. Known for his precise cuts and asymmetry, Doma creates clothes with subtly avant-garde shapes.

He does amazing geometric color-block knits with uneven sleeves and hemlines. And I love his shirt dresses made from panels of contrasting fabrics. The draped wool coats are also sublime.

Flowing drapes, elongated lines, and dark hues are signatures of the brand. The prices are expensive but less eye-watering than Yohji’s main line. Damir Doma perfects avant-garde fashion with a quiet edge.

Haider Ackermann

Colombian designer Haider Ackermann captures Yohji’s avant-garde spirit through his own lush, romantic lens. He favors draped, flowing silhouettes in rich fabrics like velvet and satin.

Haider does stunning dresses with asymmetric necklines, ruffled hems, and clever deconstruction. The tailoring is also impeccable, especially the jackets with perfectly placed darts and seams. And I love his jewel-toned velvet suits with wide, trailing legs.

The color palette veers deeper than Yohji’s, with lots of berry, emerald, and sapphire tones. But the focus on texture, drape and asymmetry aligns with Yamamoto’s work. The quality is divine. Haider Ackermann is a true fashion artist!

Helmut Lang

During his 1990s heyday, Helmut Lang pioneered an arty, deconstructed aesthetic that paved the way for other avant-garde designers like Yohji. Known for minimalist urban wear, Lang’s work syncs up nicely with Yamamoto’s.

He did amazing twisted takes on basics like asymmetric tees, uneven hem skirts, and deconstructed jeans. His perfectly slouchy sweaters capture that anti-fashion elegance. And I love Lang’s architectural outerwear, especially the military-inspired coats.

Helmut Lang’s early work set the standard for avant-garde style. The vintage pieces capture that same edgy, arty spirit as Yohji’s designs. Definitely hunt for them on resale sites!

Yang Li

This Chinese-born, London-based designer serves up cool urban elegance with an avant-garde twist. Yang Li’s work shares Yohji’s unconventional approach to silhouettes, proportion and detail.

He does amazing deconstructed suiting, breaking apart classic tailoring into asymmetric forms. The outerwear also has incredible sculptural shapes – coats and blazers curve in and out like postmodern armor. And I love his artfully draped knits.

Yang Li’s color palette of blacks, whites and neutrals has that same somber chic as Yohji’s. The prices are high but the unique vision is worth the investment.

Ann Demeulemeester

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten shares Yohji’s avant-garde point-of-view, though expressed through his own opulent aesthetic. Known for rich prints and lavish fabrics, Dries Van Noten creates clothes that are undeniably special.

He mixes prints masterfully, juxtaposing paisleys, florals and geometrics in unexpected ways. And the embellishments like beading and embroidery elevate basic pieces into works of art. I also love his color palette of saturated jewel tones.

The flowing, draped silhouettes, and attention to fabric have parallels to Yohji’s work. Dries Van Noten translates the avant-garde perspective into his own signature exuberance.

Viktor & Rolf

This Dutch design duo are avant-garde masters who take fashion into the realm of conceptual art. Viktor & Rolf play with proportion and fabrication in ways aligned with Yamamoto’s vision.

Their jacket gowns turn classic suiting inside-out in an incredible deconstruction. Other mind-bending pieces include their shirt collar necklaces, newspaper print dresses and upside-down bags. Their work is witty and thought-provoking.

Viktor & Rolf are true avant-garde innovators carrying on Yamamoto’s spirit of experimentation. Their runway shows belong in an art museum!

Junya Watanabe

As a former Yohji Yamamoto protege, Junya Watanabe carries on his mentor’s avant-garde vision through his eponymous label. Known for cool streetwear with a high-fashion twist, Watanabe’s aesthetic aligns with Yohji’s unconventional approach.

He does amazing reconstructions of classics like denim jackets and sweatshirts, splicing them with contrasting fabrics and asymmetrical panels. And I love his distressed knits full of holes, fraying and unraveling edges. Very punk meets couture.

Junya Watanabe proves everyday basics can be elevated to art through an avant-garde lens. He makes anti-fashion elegantly cool.

J.W. Anderson

Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson brings a playful, quirky energy to avant-garde fashion. His label J.W. Anderson expresses unconventional silhouettes and ideas through Anderson’s own colorful, pop-inspired vision.

Voluminous square-toed shoes, tubular squiggle bags, and patchwork knits define the playful J.W. Anderson aesthetic. He’s also great at reinventing classics like trench coats and pinafore dresses in asymmetric avant shapes.

Anderson shares Yohji’s commitment to innovation and the unconventional. He just packages it in a brighter, bolder maximalist mode.

Geoffrey B. Small

American designer Geoffrey B. Small takes avant-garde craftsmanship to obsessive heights with his complex, meticulously constructed garments. His small-batch collections demonstrate extreme attention to detail in cut and fabrication.

Intricate patterns interweave in mesmerizing ways. Precise asymmetric cuts reveal and conceal. And sensuous fabrics like silk, cashmere and leather create pieces of impossible luxury.

Small’s artisanal clothing offers an American take on Yohji’s avant-garde ethos. These are masterworks of couture craft.

Y/Project

Led by Glenn Martens, this Parisian label serves up youthful irreverence inspired by street culture. But the playful spirit is paired with brilliant avant-garde construction and silhouettes.

Oversized hoodies morph into trailing gowns. High-waisted jeans plunge to low-slung layers. And blazers transform into geometric origami shapes.

Y/Project proves avant-garde design can be fun, fresh and energetic. Their clever clothes flip dress codes with style.

Rad Hourani

Based in Paris, Rad Hourani fashions razor-sharp futuristic clothing for an avant-garde urban landscape. The sleek all-black palette and precise geometric lines convey a stark modern elegance.

Ultra-modern coats, streamlined dresses, and sculptural accessories demonstrate Hourani’s avant-garde eye for shape and line. Small details like raw edges and asymmetric fastenings finish the looks.

Hourani’s dark glamour captures the same avant-spirit as Yamamoto, just expressed through sleeker tailoring. These clothes mean business in the coolest way.

Top 17+ Affordable Alternatives to Yohji Yamamoto