Second Serving

The contemporary market—home to Theory, Juicy Couture and 3.1 Phillip Lim, among others—is red-hot, and everyone who’s anyone in fashion seems to want a piece of it, even the most esoteric and intellectual of designers. In mid-September Yohji Yamamoto unveiled his plans for Coming Soon, a more affordable line aimed at young consumers looking to trade up from streetwear to more elegant pieces. According to Yamamoto CEO Keizo Tamoto, the focus will be on single items that can be mixed and matched. It’s a departure for Yamamoto, whose followers are so devoted that they often wear his designs from head to toe. “If you buy a Yohji jacket, you need Yohji pants and maybe you need also a Yohji shirt and shoes,” Tamoto said. “It’s a very dangerous line.”

Portrait: Koichi Inakoshi