Y-3

Y-3 has one of the best name origins in fashion: the Y is for Yohji Yamamoto and the 3 is for the three stripes of adidas. The first collection was shown at Paris Fashion Week in October 2002. Yamamoto, who had launched his own label in 1972 after briefly studying law, felt too far from the street, and he was inspired by New York businessmen wearing suits with sneakers. He pitched the idea to Nike first, who declined, and then to adidas. The early A3 Control sneaker was limited to 103 pairs, a nod to his birthday on October 3rd, and the cult Qasa High in 2013 had a neoprene sock-like upper and a chunky EVA outsole borrowed from adidas 90s Tubular tech. That spirit of a tailored mind in sport shoes runs through this first group. The Regu Hi, Nisi Lo and Tokyo sneakers are the quiet black and beige pairs, while the Adizero RC6 and the Field sneakers lean on performance shapes. The F50 Tunit in off-white and red is loud on purpose, the GSG9 boots add a gray option, and the Wales Bonner Karintha Lo with sequin and satin is the dressy collaboration. For more on easy flat shoes of the moment, see the worn-in retro runner.

Y-3 handles bags with the same restraint as clothes. The Crescent bag, the Newspaper L bag and the padded crossbody shoulder bag are shapes that look like sculpture, while the graphic tote, the bonded-logo backpack and the small backpack are the practical picks. The leather Y-3 tote is the plain one that goes with everything, and it sits comfortably next to ideas from the nylon bag edit and the boxy bag trend. The cold-weather extras are where the stripes get subverted, which is the brand's signature: the stripes scarf, the stripes gloves, the padded hooded scarf and the black and white stripes beanie. The Chito graphic crew socks are a small, funny finish with a sneaker.

Yamamoto's palette is monochrome, and the bottoms prove how much you can do with one color. The velvet corduroy utility midi skirt, the gradient 3-stripes nylon balloon midi skirt and the sport uniform adaptive length midi skirt give three different amounts of volume. The Y-3 Running shorts keep things athletic, and the Mercedes-AMG F1 edition track pants and the nylon wired 3 stripes cargo pants are the street pair. The off-white pinstripe UT straight leg lounge pants and the taupe wide cargo pants soften the palette. What I would skip is pairing the balloon midi skirt with a long, loose top, since the volume disappears; a fitted tee or a short jacket lets the shape show.

The tops are mostly black and off-white, which is the point. The W FTD short sleeve and long sleeve t-shirts are the clean base, and the Chito edition graphic long sleeve and Cali t-shirts add a print for contrast. The Chito graphic zipper hoodie is the casual layer, and the knitted panel blocked half zip sweater, the knitted 3-stripes fringy sweater and the shag-knit neck warmer are the warmer picks. Layering a half zip over a plain tee is close to the idea of a camel quarter-zip edit, only in black. The Chito edition tees are the ones to choose when you want the print to be the only loud thing in the outfit, so keep the bottoms plain and the sneakers simple. For cold mornings, the neck warmer is the fastest way to add warmth without another layer.

The final group is where sport meets draping. The gradient 3-stripes nylon track midi dress, the mesh midi dress and the cinch 3 stripes oversized tee midi dress turn familiar sportswear into dresses, and the balloon skort and the Mercedes-AMG F1 edition short skort are the shorter versions. The outerwear is the strongest part: the hooded puffer down jacket, the W WL chore CT jacket, the Y-3 Running jacket, the burgundy gradient 3-stripes nylon track jacket, the sport uniform adaptive track jacket and the Mercedes-AMG F1 edition Wolf jacket. If a dark jacket is the plan, a cropped black shape to layer is worth a look too. The puffer and the chore jacket suit the coldest days and the busiest commutes, while the track jackets are the lighter layers over a tee dress. A simple test for any of these dresses is to walk in them: the hem should move freely at the stride you use every day.

I would build a Y-3 wardrobe from one sneaker, one midi skirt and one jacket, all black, and let the three stripes speak. Since the first store opened in New York's West Village in 2008, the brand has stayed true to monochrome, oversized shapes and unusual materials. Picture her on a Sunday in track pants and a quiet half zip, heading downtown.