Yohji Yamamoto Designed the World's Coolest 'Evangelion' Merch
Brand: Evangelion x Yohji Yamamoto Ground Y
Key Pieces: The layered coats and balloon pants are quintessential Yamamoto, but the oversized T-shirts are the perfect middle ground between the Japanese designer and the Evangelion franchise.
Buy: Yohji Yamamoto's web store and Ground Y stores in Japan. Pre-orders begin July 16 for distribution in late August.
Editor's Notes: Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, the long-awaited final Evangelion film, is finally within the sight of Western audiences, but even before the film premiered in Japan this past March, Eva animation studio Khara had been cranking out collectibles for the beloved franchise for the better part of a year. The Evangelion web store and its partners are still issuing a steady stream of thematic homewares, snacks, toys, and apparel, but nothing's been quite as fashion-forward as the new Eva goods dreamed up by Yohji Yamamoto's Ground Y.
Yamamoto's eponymous company operates myriad sub-labels through its international web store, including S'YTE (online-only Japanese-made staples), Y's BANG ON! (archival favorites), Discord (accessories), and Limi Feu (a brand founded by Yamamoto's daughter). Ground Y is the most youthful of the imprints, frequently enlivening its drapey collections with joint efforts as diverse as One Piece, Toy Story, Fred Perry, and even rock band SCANDAL.
Though it retains core Yamamoto elements (oversized layering pieces in versatile hues), Ground Y often leans into streetwear territory with plentiful prints — not that prints don't appear in mainline Yohji collections (they sure do!), but Ground Y silhouettes and textiles are usually more pared back.
For Ground Y's new Evangelion collection — a follow-up to the 2015 and 2018 collaborations — the design team upheld this through line with seven muted garments, all laden with thematic graphics. Key Eva characters grace various pieces throughout. There's Rei Ayanami on the rear of a paneled coat, Asuka atop a billowing cardigan, and even Evangelion Unit-01 gracing the backside of a big white shirt. A few comparatively subtle references are included for the fans, like "EVANGELION" printed in that stylized typeface and NERV's logo.
