モード系
Meaning
Mode/high-fashion style; avant-garde, runway-influenced fashion with architectural silhouettes.
モード系 refers to high-fashion, avant-garde style influenced by designer runway collections. It features architectural silhouettes, monochrome palettes (especially all-black), unusual proportions, and conceptual design. The style is associated with designers like Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, and Issey Miyake. In Japan, モード系 is a respected fashion category, though it is less mainstream than きれいめ or カジュアル.
Examples
- モード系のファッション好きだけど着こなすの難しい。 I like mode fashion but it's hard to pull off.
- 全身黒でモード系にキメてきた。 I went all-black for a mode look.
- モード系の人ってオーラが違うよね。 People with a mode style just have a different aura.
Usage Guide
Context: fashion, design, art, subculture
Tone: sophisticated, artistic
Do Say
- モード系に挑戦したいけど敷居高いな。 (I want to try mode fashion but it feels intimidating.)
- モード系のショップ巡りするなら青山がいいよ。 (If you want to shop mode brands, Aoyama is the place.)
Don't Say
- 「モード系って変な服じゃん」はファッションへの無理解 (Saying 'mode fashion is just weird clothes' shows a lack of fashion understanding)
Common Mistakes
- Thinking モード系 just means wearing all black — while black is common, it is about avant-garde silhouettes, proportions, and conceptual design
Origin & History
From French/English 'mode' (fashion) + 系 (type/style). Influenced by Japan's globally significant role in avant-garde fashion, with designers like Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, and Issey Miyake pioneering the aesthetic from the 1980s.
Cultural Context
Era: 1980s Japanese avant-garde fashion, ongoing
Generation: Fashion enthusiasts, 20s-40s
Social background: Fashion-forward, often upper-middle class due to brand prices
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Aoyama, Omotesando, and Daikanyama in Tokyo are the main モード系 shopping areas. Japan's contribution to global モード is enormous.
Related Phrases
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation and spaced repetition