Summary
Yohji Yamamoto is publishing a new hardcover book filled with never-before-seen drawings. Created with Thames & Hudson, the book is curated by Alexandre Samson from the Palais Galliera and designed with input from Peter Saville. Yamamoto personally selected the images, which showcase both his menswear and womenswear designs. The book presents these sketches not just as planning tools, but as a unique look inside his creative mind.
A new book from Thames & Hudson, titled Yohji Yamamoto Drawings, offers a unique glimpse into the creative process of the renowned fashion designer. The book, curated by Alexandre Samson and designed with input from Peter Saville, features previously unpublished sketches that reveal how Yohji Yamamoto develops his ideas.
To appreciate the significance of Yamamoto’s drawings, it’s helpful to understand his journey. Born in Tokyo in 1943, he initially studied law but later chose to work in his mother’s dressmaking shop. He presented his first fashion collection in Tokyo in 1977 and opened a store in Paris in 1981. His arrival in Paris was groundbreaking. Together with Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Yamamoto introduced a style defined by black clothing, unbalanced designs, and intentional flaws – a look that challenged the conventions of European fashion at the time. His influence continues to be felt in how designers approach shape and space even today.
Yamamoto’s creativity extended far beyond fashion shows. He designed costumes for films like Brother and Until the End of the World, and in 2003, he began a groundbreaking partnership with adidas called Y-3. This line blended his unique design style with sportswear, essentially pioneering the now-common trend of luxury athletic collaborations. Looking at his sketches in light of his broader career reveals them as more than just preliminary work. The pages are filled with striking images – dramatic coats, relaxed silhouettes, and beautiful dresses – drawn on various papers, including old newspapers, showing a designer constantly pushing the boundaries of fashion.
The collaboration between these authors is particularly strong. Samson, a fashion historian and curator with experience showcasing designers like Martin Margiela and Rick Owens, deeply understands the kind of innovative design that Yamamoto is known for. Saville adds a refined visual style developed through years of influential graphic design work. Importantly, Yamamoto personally chose the images for the book, giving it the feel of an intimate self-portrait created by the designer himself.
I’m super excited because Yohji Yamamoto Drawings is coming out on November 17th! You can actually pre-order it right now from places like W. W. Norton, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I already put my order in!
2026-07-24 10:26