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What’s considered fashionable is often whittled down to the likes of France and Italy; Chanel and Gucci. After all, the global fashion capitals, dubbed the “Big Four,” include Paris, Milan, London and New York. Trends, however, extend a lot further than Europe and Eurocentric standards. Think Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo. These bustling cities are breeding grounds for fashion trends and subcultures. In fact, Tokyo is so rich in pop culture and style that Gwen Stefani named her backup dancers the “Harajuku Girls” (*cue “Rich Girls”*), and you can find hints of Harajuku fashion in the “weird girl aesthetic” made mainstream by the Hadid sisters.

You might not even realize the number of big names that hail from Japan and have made cosmic contributions to fashion around the globe. Rei Kawakubo and Junya Watanabe, the two trailblazers behind Comme des Garçons, put forward beautifully unconventional designs that transformed models into walking sculptures gliding down the runway. Kansai Yamamoto designed several of David Bowie’s eccentric, eye-grabbing costumes, and went on to dress Lady Gaga and Elton John. All of the sneakerheads will recognize Nigo, the creator of A Bathing Ape…