Arriving as one of the most anticipated drops on the kit calendar following earlier rumours of its existence, the Japan Football Association and Y-3 have unveiled their inaugural collaborative collection, featuring the federation’s new home and away kits along with a new Culturewear collection.
For over 20 years, Y-3 has served as a pioneering force at the intersection of sport and fashion, blending the inimitable vision of Yohji Yamamoto with the performance innovation of adidas. Previously, their presence has been notable in collaborations with Real Madrid. Now, for the first time, Y-3 and the Japan Football Association (JFA) have come together to unveil a collaborative collection that spans both an On-Pitch set and Culturewear.
The collection tells a story of the national team’s enduring dynamism, with hand painted flame graphics, created in house at Yohji Yamamoto, acting as consistent motifs throughout the collection, representing the Japanese symbol for mystic power and strength.
With the world descending upon Paris for the Olympic Games this summer, the Y-3 for JFA will be worn by both the Japanese men’s and women’s national teams in their competitive matches. The Culturewear collection, meanwhile, is inspired by one of the JFA’s goalkeeper jerseys in the late 90s, which has become a cult favourite for its bold and instantly recognisable all over print flames.
In celebration of the landmark occasion, the inaugural Y-3 for JFA collection is brought to life with a series of striking visuals shot by Muga Miyahara, starring men’s and women’s national team players Takefusa Kubo, Yui Hasegawa, Hinata Miyazawa, and Fuuka Nagano. The Culturewear collection is presented through a lookbook shot by legendary Japanese photographer and Yohji Yamamoto collaborator, Takay.
The On-Pitch collection pre-launches globally on 22 June through adidas.com/y-3 and selected retailers.
The Culturewear collection launches on 1 July.
