Which Japanese designer founded the premium denim label Evisu in 1991?

Hidehiko Yamane founded the premium denim label Evisu in 1991.

Hidehiko Yamane established Evisu in Osaka, Japan, in 1991. The brand became known for carefully made jeans inspired by vintage American denim, especially older Levi’s garments and traditional production methods. Its name references Ebisu, a Japanese god of prosperity, and its painted seagull-style back-pocket mark became distinctive.

Evisu’s rise reflected the growing international reputation of Japanese denim. Japanese makers often emphasized dense selvedge fabrics, vintage-inspired details, specialized weaving, and careful finishing. These qualities helped premium Japanese jeans gain attention beyond Japan.

Evisu is not a Levi Strauss subsidiary, despite its visual references to classic American jeans. Its identity comes from a Japanese reinterpretation of American workwear. The founder’s name is sometimes written with the family name first in Japanese contexts, but English-language sources commonly use Hidehiko Yamane.