Mikio Sakabe: Tokyo’s avant-garde fashion visionary

This article is published in Tokyo Weekend Volume. 1, 2025.
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With a peculiar talent, Mikio Sakabe can envision avant-garde, wearable clothing and footwear, it is a household name in the contemporary global fashion field. The reason is the fantasy shoe label he co-created in 2019, which features an interesting synthesis of futuristic and organic silhouettes.

The record label has gained a huge fan base, and its shoes even appeared in the “Super Shy” music video of K-Pop Group NJZ (formerly Newjeans). The designer’s unrestricted creative approach and whimsical work traces back to his fashion brand of the same name, the label was founded in 2007.

An accidental start

Born in Nerima, Tokyo in 1976, Sakabe has always loved clothes, but was not originally about becoming a designer. He initially studied mathematics but fell into fashion while attending an Art Foundation course at Central Saint Martins, where a tutor pointed out his fashion design potential. What remains is history.

Explore Hermaphrodites

From the dreamy, airy dresses worn by cultural idols like Bjork to Stark, flavor makers around the world crave statues, Sakabe’s work cannot be included in just one aesthetic category. “I define my brand as an explanation of the sensitivity of Asian, hermaphrodite through a Tokyo-style lens,” Sacabe said.

Mikio Sakabe Fashion in Tokyo

According to Sakabe, what makes Tokyo fashion unique is its stunning numerous subcultures and eclectic flavors branching out from a common root: an emphasis on street style. Among the city’s countless tailor treasures, he highlights several outstanding shopping locations.

To get your fingers to the pulse of the Tokyo sneaker scene, Sakabe recommends the ground flagship store in Harajuku. “I also like the three treasures of Harajuku, Harakado, because they work with young Japanese designers and I often go to sheep [in Laforet Harajuku]This is an interesting boutique that promotes a unique culture in Japan. ”

Discover Sakabe’s designs on Instagram @mikiosakobe.

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