What is sizing like at Yohji Yamamoto menswear?

Yohji Yamamoto runs large and relaxed on purpose. The menswear mainline (Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme) uses a numbered sizing system that runs from 1 to 6, roughly the equivalent of XS through to XXL, and the cut is deliberately oversized with dropped shoulders, long lines and plenty of drape. If you normally wear a Large, you are a size 4, and in most cases you should stay there or size up rather than down. The single most common mistake I see men make with Yohji is looking at the measurements, panicking that they seem huge, and sizing down. Don't. The volume is the whole point.

How the numbered sizing actually works

Older Yohji pieces (broadly late-90s and earlier) used standard S/M/L/XL labelling. Most modern mainline menswear uses the Japanese numeric scale instead. As a rough translation:

Size 1 ≈ XS
Size 2 ≈ S
Size 3 ≈ M
Size 4 ≈ L
Size 5 ≈ XL
Size 6 ≈ XXL (genuinely rare, and never a "one size fits all" despite what some resellers claim)

The catch is that this is a starting point, not gospel. A Yohji "Medium" often wears closer to a conventional Small on the body because the ease is built into the drape, not the fit. Two garments in the same numbered size can also behave differently depending on the season and the cut, so the measurements matter more here than with almost any other brand.

What the fit feels like on

Expect roomy through the body, dropped shoulders that sit well past your natural shoulder line, generous sleeves and trousers cut with a low crotch and a lot of leg. This is architecture more than tailoring. My first proper Yohji buy was a black gabardine blazer, and when it arrived I genuinely thought I'd ordered the wrong thing, it looked like it was built for someone a foot wider than me. I nearly sent it back. I wore it once out of curiosity, saw the way it moved and hung, and never looked back. That drape doesn't work if you fight it by sizing down.

Getting your size right first time

Think height, not width. If you're tall, size up so the sleeve and inseam lengths are right. The waist and chest will look after themselves.
Don't tailor away the intention. I once had a coat's sleeves shortened to "sharpen it up" and killed the balance completely, sold it at a loss. Roll a cuff before you reach for a tailor.
Know your line. Pour Homme is the draped mainline. Y-3 (the adidas collaboration) uses standard S/M/L sportswear sizing but still relaxed. S'YTE, the online T-shirt and casual line, tends to sit closer to true-to-size. Shoes across the board run about true to size.
Always check the flat measurements against a garment you already own and love. It's the only reliable way to buy Yohji online.

How to style it

Yohji is a study in black, proportion and restraint. The trick is to let one voluminous piece lead and keep everything else calm. A big draped coat over a slim-ish trouser. A boxy shirt tucked loosely into wide, cropped trousers with a chunky boot. Resist the urge to add colour or logos, the interest here is in cut, layering and the depth of the black itself. If you're new to the look, start with one statement piece and build around it rather than going head-to-toe on day one.

Where to shop the look at every budget

High street

COS – The most obvious gateway to this aesthetic. Architectural, minimal, plenty of oversized cuts and a deep bench of blacks. Ideal for a first draped coat or a boxy knit without the designer price.
Uniqlo (Uniqlo U) – The Christophe Lemaire-designed U line does relaxed, refined basics beautifully. Superb value for the drapey tees, wide trousers and blousons that sit under a Yohji-style outer layer.
Arket – Scandi minimalism with a slightly softer, more considered feel. Great for relaxed trousers and heavier overshirts that play well with the silhouette.

Independent & boutique

Our Legacy – Swedish label with an elevated, boxy sensibility. Their shirts and outerwear carry real fashion credibility and bridge the gap between high street and full designer nicely.
Universal Works – British, relaxed and rooted in workwear. Boxier cuts, muted palettes and honest fabrics, a smart pick if you want volume without the avant-garde price tag.
YMC – You Must Create do understated, slightly off-kilter relaxed tailoring and separates that layer effortlessly. A quiet, grown-up entry point into the wider look.

Designer & luxury

Comme des Garçons – Rei Kawakubo's house sits alongside Yohji at the heart of Japanese avant-garde. If you love the deconstruction and the black, this is the natural companion wardrobe.
Homme Plissé Issey Miyake – The pleated menswear line brings movement and drape from a completely different angle, technical, light and endlessly wearable next to Yohji.
Lemaire – Softer and more restrained, all about fluid lines and quiet luxury. Perfect if you want the relaxed proportion without the full drama.
Rick Owens – For the darker, more sculptural end. Draped, dramatic and unmistakable, best once you're confident wearing volume head-to-toe.

Never Guess a Yohji Size Again

Yohji's numbered sizing, oversized cut and line-by-line differences make it one of the trickiest brands to buy online, and exactly the kind of thing Tellar is built for. Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool, matching your body to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you never have to squint at a size guide again.

Measure once using your bust, waist and hip, or just your existing size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand, from Yohji Yamamoto to COS, Reiss, Arket and Everlane.
Shop with confidence – no guesswork, fewer returns, better-fitting buys.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

Find your size → Store Size LookupNew to this? → How to Measure

And when you want honest, independent style advice, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a free library of guides written by working stylists. Always honest, always unbiased, always free. A few to get you started:

Yohji Yamamoto isn't a brand you fight into a conventional fit, it's one you learn to wear. Get the size right, trust the drape, and it'll be some of the most rewarding menswear you ever own.