85% matchNeighborhood
Same Tokyo punk-biker lineage, heavier military bent
What changes: More workwear/military utility than luxury-priced graphics
Brand profile
Mastermind
Tokyo luxury streetwear label founded in 1997 by Masaaki Homma, known for its skull-and-crossbones motif and all-black, Japan-made menswear.
TokyoOrigin
MenswearFocus
StreetwearStyle
$$$$Price
18 brands like Mastermind like Neighborhood, Rick Owens, Alexander McQueen →
What to know about Mastermind
One motif, one colour
Nearly everything is jet black and built around a skull-and-crossbones graphic, applied across tees, hoodies, leather and technical outerwear, denim and sneakers.
You pay for Japanese making
Production stays in Japan and tags name the people who made the garment, which is where the luxury pricing on a graphic tee or hoodie comes from.
Two lines, not one
The original mastermind JAPAN sits above mastermind WORLD, a globally distributed diffusion line added in 2017 after founder Masaaki Homma revived the label.
How Mastermind fits
Overall fit
runs small
Most shoppers report Japanese sizing that runs roughly one size smaller than US/EU equivalents, with mastermind WORLD sitting slightly closer to international sizing than the main JAPAN line.
Tip: Size up one from your usual US/EU size, especially on mastermind JAPAN main-line pieces, and consider two sizes up if you want an oversized look.
Medium confidence · based on 9 sources
By category
| Category | Runs | Shape | Size advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trousers & pants | slightly small | slim to tapered, occasionally wide-leg on newer technical pieces | Size up one if you prefer room through the thigh and seat. |
| Hoodies & sweatshirts | slightly small | regular to slightly relaxed, with heavier loopback pieces reading boxier | Size up one for a comfortable layering fit; stay true to size only if you like a compact hoodie. |
| Jeans & denim | slightly small | slim to straight, Japanese-denim cut | Consider one size up in the waist if between sizes, and expect a slim leg. |
| Jackets | runs small | slim, fashion-cut shoulders and chest on leather and technical outerwear | Size up one, and check shoulder and bicep room if you plan to layer a hoodie underneath. |
| T-shirts & graphic tees | runs small | slim to regular; some recent graphic tees are deliberately boxy | Take one size up from your usual tee size unless you specifically want a cropped, close fit. |
| Shirts & overshirts | runs small | slim through chest and waist | Size up one from your usual shirt size for a normal, non-clinging fit. |
Directional fit consensus summarized from public sources with AI — a starting point, not a guarantee. Confirm with the product's own measurements before buying.
If you like Mastermind
See all 18 brands like Mastermind →85% match
72% matchRick Owens
All-black wardrobe with darker, draped avant-garde cut
What changes: Silhouette-driven rather than logo- or graphic-driven
71% matchAlexander McQueen
Skull iconography inside dark-romantic luxury tailoring
What changes: Formal runway house, far less streetwear/graphic tees
69% matchOff-White
Logo-led luxury streetwear at similar price ceiling
What changes: Italian production, industrial-loud palette over jet black
Mastermind fit questions
Does Mastermind run big or small?
Mastermind runs small. Size up one from your usual US/EU size, especially on mastermind JAPAN main-line pieces, and consider two sizes up if you want an oversized look. Most shoppers report Japanese sizing that runs roughly one size smaller than US/EU equivalents, with mastermind WORLD sitting slightly closer to international sizing than the main JAPAN line.
How does Mastermind fit?
Most shoppers report Japanese sizing that runs roughly one size smaller than US/EU equivalents, with mastermind WORLD sitting slightly closer to international sizing than the main JAPAN line. Overall shape: generally slim to regular through the body, with newer mastermind WORLD graphic pieces cut boxier and more relaxed.
How do Mastermind trousers & pants fit?
Mastermind trousers & pants fits slightly small. Size up one if you prefer room through the thigh and seat. Shape: slim to tapered, occasionally wide-leg on newer technical pieces.
How do Mastermind hoodies & sweatshirts fit?
Mastermind hoodies & sweatshirts fits slightly small. Size up one for a comfortable layering fit; stay true to size only if you like a compact hoodie. Shape: regular to slightly relaxed, with heavier loopback pieces reading boxier.
How do Mastermind jeans & denim fit?
Mastermind jeans & denim fits slightly small. Consider one size up in the waist if between sizes, and expect a slim leg. Shape: slim to straight, Japanese-denim cut.
Brand facts
mastermind JAPAN is a Tokyo label founded in 1997 by Masaaki Homma, a former Yohji Yamamoto employee who launched during Tokyo Fashion Week without formal fashion training. It builds jet-black, punk-leaning menswear around a skull-and-crossbones motif: graphic tees, hoodies, leather and technical outerwear, denim and sneakers, produced in Japan with tags naming the makers. Homma closed the line in 2013 and revived it, adding the globally distributed diffusion line mastermind WORLD in 2017. Recent partners include Dickies (FW25), Zero Halliburton, Vans Vault and adidas Originals.
- Founded
- 1997
- Origin
- Tokyo, Japan
- Made in
- Japan
- Price
- $$$$
- Focus
- Menswear
- Facts checked
- August 2026
- Styles
- Streetwear, Punk / Grunge / Goth, Quiet luxury