Menswear Legend Yukio Akamine on Japanese Style, Seasonless Dressing, and His Latest Book

“[Yukio Akamine] never changes, but he keeps evolving,” says Monocle Japan’s Eisuke Yamashita. To call Akamine, who was born in Meguro, Tokyo in 1944, a fixture in the menswear world is an understatement. He has been designing, curating, and providing a masterclass in what it means to be timelessly stylish since he founded his first brand, WAY-OUT, at 28.

Today, he is an oft-photographed figure at events such as Pitti Uomo, which he has attended since its eighth year. Widely revered in the industry, Akamine’s appeal is both universal and timeless, a testament to his adaptabilty and unwavering taste. Yamashita credits Akamine’s curiosity, in part, for his international acclaim. “He is flexible in new media such as YouTube, and Instagram, and can interact with young people without barriers,” he tells Robb Report. “In Japan, 15-year old high school students are fans of [his] style.” Akamine’s latest endeavor is a book, Yukio Akamine’s Style: Dressing, Living, currently available in Japan and soon to be available on the US market, where he details his approach to dressing with gorgeous full color shots of himself sporting everything from suits to casual wear.  

East Meets West

In an interview with Robb Report, Akamine recalls his earliest influences. Among them, chiefly, was his geographer father, who was also a kendo fighter and a proud Japanese. His uncle, Ikutaro, by contrast, was a sociologist whose style was deeply influenced by Western aesthetics. “He often wore a navy blazer, gray trousers, and bright red socks,” says Akamine. “I cultivated a Japanese spirit and a Western style by blending my father’s and uncle’s values.” His mother, too, played a part in his early style education by crafting handmade jackets, trousers, shirts, and knitwear—often in Akamine’s preferred color of navy blue.

His style philosophy today remains thoroughly shaped by these formative years., representing the spiritual traditions of the Japanese people while simultaneously interpreting Western culture. The first iteration of this ethos as a business for Akamine was WAY-OUT – named for its subversive aesthetic— which Akamine founded in 1972. “At that time, the Van Jacket brand dominated the Japanese market,” says Akamine. “Clothing similar to that of Brooks Brothers was the norm so I began creating classic garments outside the social structure to compete with these norms, which inspired the brand name.” Echoes of this juxtaposition was later found in his brand, Glenover, which was established in the 1940s with a focus on creating classic clothes, its name literally meaning “over the glen.” 

Outside of Japan, it is in Italy where Akamine spends the most time. “I  especially like Rome, rich in history and natural beauty, and its food resembles Japan’s,” he says. “Italian people are kind, the cities are lovely, and the sea is beautiful.” He has traveled to the country over 300 times and visited 19 of Italy’s 20 provinces. Antonio Liverano of Liverano & Liverano in Florence calls his 40 year relationship with Akamine a brotherly bond. They both share, he says, a passion for educating young people. Calling him a legend, Liverano says Akamine’s skills are “innate; he has a unique sensitivity for colors and patterns.” These are sentiments echoed by Yamashita, who has known Akamine for some 20 years. “When you look at the wardrobe that Akamine has built up over the years in his studio, his keen insight and good taste become immediately apparent,” he says. “But his appeal isn’t just his knowledge of Western clothing: he is also well-versed in the crafts and food culture of each region of Japan, and I think it is this knowledge that has helped him develop his own unique style.”

Luxury, the Yukio Akamine Way

Akamine’s style is as restrained as it is refined: impeccable tailoring, a sartorial feast of rich neutral hues, knits and jackets made from lush textiles that add interest and depth to even the most straightforward of outfits. He’s a breath of fresh air in a menswear space that is increasingly saturated with haughtiness and ostentation. “I am not interested in luxury and feel discriminated against when one is wearing luxury  brands and items,” says Akamine. “I find it vulgar to be wealthy and to flaunt that wealth without dignity before others. I seek individuals who are rich in spirit, not in material greed.” 

Today, Akamine oversees Incontro, a planning company that is in charge of his tailoring brand, Akamine Royal Line, which he tells Robb Report is inspired by the colors of Japan’s four seasons and the Western designs of the ‘20s and ‘30s. It is a collection of meticulously crafted, timeless staples. “[The pieces are] woven at a low speed on vintage shuttle looms using fabrics with strong  twisted yarns (high twist) and tightly woven weft yarns to maintain the creases of the trousers, adapting to Japan’s hot and humid climate,” he says. “Regarding the sewing, these pieces are crafted by  artisans skilled in both machine and hand production techniques.” 

The seamless confluence of Western and Japanese influence in Akamine’s line is in many ways a microcosm of Japanese style writ large, which Akamine says has been influenced by America, England, Italy and France over the centuries. “The Industrial Revolution in England during the late 18th century transformed the world,” he says. “Various standards emerged, and the globe evolved, particularly with the invention of the spinning machine and the opening of railroads.” This impact then reached France and Italy, where woolen and silk textile production centers were established. “At that time, Japan was in the mid-Edo period, and Western clothing did not yet exist,” he explains. In the 1860’s the country opened to the outside world, ushering in the Meji Era, during which Emperor Meji wore British Military uniforms and boots, and the rest, as they say, is history. “No distinct Japanese style has been firmly established,” says Akamine. “My Akamine Royal line is founded on exploring various clothing styles from different nations, and I aspire to cultivate a unique Japanese style.”

“Beauty has no home” 

In Yukio Akamine’s Style: Dressing, Living, he details his approach to dressing. He says in a world where everything is increasingly made in vast quantities and in synthetic materials, he hopes his new book will help readers understand the value in investing in clothing that can be worn and adapted for all seasons—and to inspire an appreciation for natural fibers like wool, mohair, cotton, and linen. “80% [of dressing well] depends on the wearer, while 20% consists of the clothing,” he says. “80% of what matters is the mindset they choose to adopt, the mindset they wish  to cultivate, and the kind of life they aspire to live each day.” He emphasizes the importance of investing in pieces that last, and immersing yourself in history, classic films, music, and other cultural references to cultivate a personal style that will be as enduring as the garments themselves. 

His personal cultural favorites include Albert Lamorisse’s White Man, Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story, Rossellini’s Rome, Open City and Journey to Italy, as well as Death in Venice by Luchino Visconti and Fellini’s 8 1⁄2. He also appreciates the works of Tarkovsky, Kurosawa, and Tornatore. “I read The Times and Thoughts of Muneyoshi Yanagi repeatedly,” he says. “In this book, he states,  ‘Beautiful things are beautiful. It is more important to feel the beauty of things that speak to  you silently than to look at things with explanations.’ He also declares that ‘beautiful things are  the handiwork of craftsmen, and beauty has no home.’”

And trite as it can sound to say that beauty starts from within, Akamine is living proof. His social media feed is filled with photos and videos of a buoyant Akamine chatting, socializing, and sharing his daily routine, in which he takes great care. After waking up at 5am every morning, Akamine does some light stretching and takes a gentle jog on the banks of the Tama River. “Afterward, I put my hands together and pray for a good day at a nearby shrine. I strive to spend the rest of the day with a smile on my face.”