Tokyo street style at Rakuten Fashion Week SS27

Tokyo has long been celebrated for its distinctive street style, but its fashion landscape has become increasingly difficult to define by any single aesthetic. At the SS27 shows, the streets revealed a remarkably diverse mix of influences from both Japanese subcultures and global fashion trends.

The legacy of Harajuku’s experimentation remains visible, but it now exists alongside a much broader spectrum of personal styles.

For retailers, Tokyo offers an early indication of where SS27 is heading: fashion is less about following one dominant look than about mixing references and making them your own. Consumers are becoming less defined by a single trend and more interested in pieces that can be combined, personalized and styled across different fashion identities.

Earth Tones +

Tokyo show attendees demonstrated how earth tones might take on an edgier direction for SS27, with warm browns, khaki, olive and muted neutrals offset by deeper shades of dark red and black. Rather than appearing as a soft, tonal palette, the darker accents add contrast and a sharper edge, giving familiar natural colors a more urban and contemporary feel.

A Seivsen FW26 burgundy open-weave laddered long-sleeve knit top with asymmetrical cutout layering, and shoulder straps. High-waisted black faux-leather barrel pants featuring structural front pleats.

A brown, cropped, slim-fit zip-up jacket and a light grey, low-rise draped mini skirt with an asymmetric hemline. Accessories included fishnet tights layered under lace-trimmed thigh-high socks and synthetic leather ‘claw long boots dragon’ by YELLO x Softmachine.

A Cult Gaia zip-up halter-neck vest in a sesame beige color with a classic pointed collar, a double zipper front closure, and structural contour seaming with high-waisted, ultra-baggy utility trousers in a dark mocha brown.

A printed gauze lace patchwork halter bra top and asymmetric outer overlay from Open Aesthetic; a long linen-blend lace trim cardigan with a high-waisted, tiered asymmetrical hemmed mini skirt in an earthy brown shade and Jouetie two-tone, square-toe cowboy boots.

Maximum Impact

Show attendees proved that the playful spirit of Harajuku street style is still very much alive, with color and pattern mixed together in deliberately unexpected ways. For SS27, this offers another reminder that maximalism does not necessarily mean following a single statement trend — it can come from the freedom to mix and match.

A fitted, collage-print mesh long-sleeve top and light blue tulle tutu skirt, by Ttsunami. Accessories included a red patent leather ‘Teiban’ ribbon shoulder bag by COMME des GARÇONS Girl, red multi-strap T-bar Mary Jane flats from WEGO, paired with cream leg warmers and clear cat-eye glasses from Gentle Monster.

An ‘Alice in Wonderland’ aesthetic with a bustier top featuring an all-over playing card pattern, a red-and-black striped pussy-bow necktie, a red layered tulle maxi skirt and a metallic gold leather Valentino Garavani mini rock stud tote.

A vintage baroque print Valentina popcorn crinkle stretch top, loose-fit, wide-leg camouflage distressed jorts detailed with frayed raw-edge hems and orange embossed crocodile slouched knee-high stiletto boots.

A black windbreaker over a DSquared graphic t-shirt and a sheer Adidas Y-3 burnout leopard print maxi skirt with an adjustable waist tie. Accessories included a red jumbo Chanel caviar double flap bag, New Rock M-106-S29 black platform leather boots and a newsboy wool cap.

Tokyo Blues

Denim has become a prominent part of Tokyo’s street-style mix, appearing across the wardrobe from jeans and shirts to jackets and layered combinations, reinforcing denim’s universal position as a key foundation for SS27 wardrobes.

A cropped white logo tee from Zara, Bershka light-wash, wide-leg, cross-waist denim jeans, a black shoulder bag and Dr Martens footwear.

A dark-wash short-sleeve denim shirt with white contrast stitching and loose-fit denim culottes. A chestnut brown leather slouchy crescent bag by Kate Spade and Nike air max sneakers.

A classic dark wash denim western shirt and brown patterned scarf over shorts. Accessories included a leather belt featuring an oversized metallic conch buckle, a straw cowboy hat, chocolate brown frame bag with a unique adjustable wide leather strap and burgundy embroidered leather Western boots.

A white short-sleeve tee and chambray shirt by Ralph Lauren's RRL and asymmetrical wrap jeans by FRIED RICE. Accessorised with a New Era x Ralph Lauren Yankees baseball cap.

Fringe Benefits

Fringe emerged as one of the strongest details on the streets of Tokyo, appearing on boots and corsets to dresses covered in layers of swinging strands; its versatility is part of its appeal: fringe can be used as a subtle accent or taken to an all-over extreme.

A cropped, frayed-edge denim trucker jacket and a floor-skimming longline denim skirt with high front splits with a macramé overlay with an extra long fringe. Accessorised by pointed croc boots.

The EZUMi sleeveless mesh cardigan with fringe ribbon layered over a black long-sleeve top and a voluminous dark tulle mini skirt. Accessories included the Nike x Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Air Carnivore sneakers and Comme des Garçons vertical logo crew socks.

A white, laser-cut long fringe dress by Magazine Castor, a wide, black corset-belt accented with dual metallic buckle closures and lace-up details, and black flats with multi-strap details

Boots with a mid-wash denim shaft and mustard-yellow alligator-embossed leather pointed toes, heels, and accent harness straps and yellow leather fringe laced through eyelets along the front and back by YELLO.

On the right: an oversized black button-up shirt with balloon sleeves, wide-leg black pants, a white corset belt attached to floor-length, sweeping white fringe tassels, metallic silver ballet flats and a small curved snakeskin print bag with attached bag charms.

Made in Japan

Some of the most distinctive street-style looks drew directly on Japanese dress traditions, combining kimono-inspired pieces and hakama-style skirt-pants with the oversized, deconstructed silhouettes associated with avant-garde Japanese designers such as Comme des Garçons. The result was a distinctly Tokyo mash-up in which historical references, contemporary design and subcultural dressing were layered together rather than treated as separate influences.

RinRin Doll wore a floor-length, black lace coat by Medenius, featuring ribbon tie closures down the front and velvet panels. Paired with a contrasting light, pleated under-layer and bottoms from Pameo Pose. A black clasp frame bag from Anna Sui, open-toed platforms by Ittaherl.

A white, relaxed-fit kimono embellished with delicate blue and gold floral patterns. It is tightly cinched with a wide, layered obi-style sash belt and layered tiered ruffle pants. Accessories included a crochet bucket hat and a slouchy tie-dye sling bag.

A voluminous, custom-made Morimori black tulle mesh dress embellished with multiple soft pink structural fabric bows over a long, tiered black tulle maxi skirt by Noir Kei Ninomiya and a sheer black long-sleeve mesh top. Accessories included a brown velvet cap, a ruffled black leather nori enomoto bag and black leather penny loafers.

An oversized white button-up shirt under a green pleated embroidered bra top, high-waisted, black jacquard maxi ‘Hakama’ skirt/pants. The look was completed with a structured black leather handbag adorned with a plush charm and chunky black platform shoes.