The Imagination of Japan

Abstract

The arrival of the 21st century ushered in an era when fears and hopes crystallized around Japan, then perceived in the West as a country of new technologies. It was also seen as the nation of new fashion designers and in the 1990s Western media attributed a distinctly ‘Japanese character’ to the collections of Japanese fashion designers who stood out internationally. This article explores the encounter between the stereotypes of a Japan imagined by the West and the real clothing collections offered by brands such as Comme des Garçons, who exercised a major influence, in particular on Alexander McQueen and Iris van Herpen. In addition, this article aims to draw the attention of academic research to the unprecedented crossovers that fashion allows.