Kanji Kyoda’s Visionary Street Style Has to Be Seen to Be Believed
Kanji Kyoda’s Visionary Street Style Has to Be Seen to Be Believed
Some street style stars are well dressed—but others break the boundaries of fashion with wearable art so unbelievable it changes the way you think about clothing. Kanji Kyoda fits firmly into the latter category. During Tokyo Fashion Week, Kyoda is an unmistakable presence in outfits that defy logic. A typical look might involve a hat with silver tentacles and neon furry shoes beneath layers of colored fabric, or vibrant skull mask paired with swirls of inflatable metallic pastels. At just 18, Kyoda has developed an arresting sense of style, but the most impressive fact may be that he creates each piece himself—and only began dressing in his creations earlier this year. “I made all clothes I wore to the fashion week in less than two weeks,” he shared via email from Arakawa-Ku.
A gifted illustrator, Kyoda designs each look with the goal of self-expression, sourcing the majority of his materials from shops in the Nippori district. He describes the experience of wearing his ideas in public as “very fun.” Even in a city known for its adventurous street fashion scene Kyoda stands out, and he considers the wealth of creativity on display in Tokyo a reaction to the larger culture's conformity. “Because there are many people without individuality, [the] people with individuality are respected,” he explained. A tour through his most memorable street style moments shows exactly why he’s so innovative —and why we can’t wait see what he’ll do next.
