Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

The Unexpected Connection Between Manga Culture and High Fashion

The Unexpected Connection Between Manga Culture and High Fashion

Japanese manga and anime has been all the rage in recent years, even on major runways.

The Japanese art of storytelling, manga, is known for its distinctive style and widespread popularity. Originating during the 12th century, the early form of comics presented itself as detailed scrolls with vivid visuals and provocative text. The title "manga" became linked to the artistic practice in 1798, during the historic Edo period. By the 1920s, the scrolls evolved into something that closely resembled conventional comic strips and were quickly circulated throughout the public via serialization in newspapers and magazines. Manga generally draws on the themes of satire, romance, and science fiction.

Since its inception, the genre and its video counterpart, anime, has grown to establish a lucrative industry and an international imprint. Well-liked series such as Sailor Moon and Doraemon, in addition to the kawaii character Hello Kitty, have been born out of an explosion of interest in manga all over the world. Moreover, the influence of manga is so powerful, that in recent years the pervasive comics have transcended glossy magazine pages and found their way onto major fashion runways.



Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2020.



Comme Des Garçons Spring/Summer 2018.

But before the biggest designers were turning to manga and anime, the Japanese cartoon world was looking at the Paris runways for inspiration. Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi often fashioned her heroines’ clothes from designer looks from Chanel, Dior, Thierry Mugler, and more. Whereas manga’s influence on fashion is often interpreted as cute or novel, Takeuchi showed how designer fashion co-opted into her magical universe was empowering. In the anime, fashion often underlines the soldier sailor schoolgirls’ powers. When they transform into superheroines, it shows the sequence of their metamorphosis into the mini-skirted, bow-adorned femme fighters.



Princess Serenity from "Sailor Moon.



A Dior Spring/Summer 1992 dress by Gianfranco Ferré.

Today, sought-after manga series have blossomed into brands within themselves. Merchandise with popular characters and themed home goods are just a few things that have precipitated out the collective adoration of the various shows and series. However, the manga obsession does not stop there. Major labels such a Louis Vuitton, Moschino, and Prada have all embraced manga on the runway with statement pieces inspired by the signature comic style and direct allusions to viral characters. Recently, Gucci released a Doraemon X Gucci capsule collection for Chinese New Year, placing the manga cat-robot on bags, tees, and more. The artistry of manga, which is indicative of centuries filled with creativity fused with Japanese tradition, is similarly as detail-oriented and beautiful as clothing design. The intersection of the two feels natural yet nuanced as it mixes exclusive luxury with accessible art.



Gucci x Doraemon

In Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2021 menswear show, creative director Virgil Abloh sought out Reggieknow, an America-based anime artist, to create illustrations to accompany this collection. The manga-inspired motif hit the runway in the form of oversized inflated statues of Reggieknow's characters and clothing adorned with stuffed figures.



Anime styles and allusions are especially prevalent in streetwear. Accessible brands like Uniqlo and Adidas have put out highly successful collaborations with Manga series such as Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z. Moreover, high-end brands, closely linked to hype beast culture, like Supreme and Bape have also engaged in similar collaborations.



Altogether, the fusion of manga culture and popular fashion amalgamates vivid visuals and unparalleled artistry in a way that reminiscent of the playful nature of anime and the importance of clothing design. Many designers have recognized the fine line between the two art forms and have consequently created many memorable runway moments.



Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×