Why wear sportswear when you can wear Japanese street style-inspired sportwear? This is the question posed by Y-3, the athletic diffusion brand from sportwear giant adidas that’s inspired and designed by the legendary Mr Yohji Yamamoto. In the past, Y-3 has leaned heavily into the avant-garde – creating mind-bending footwear and athleticwear that looks bizarre and amazing all at once – and this season is no different.

This time, Y-3 has broken its spring/summer release into three chapters, each designed to help you tackle the elements as they come: Cover, Brace and Shade. We’re kicking the season off with Chapter One, Cover. Perfect for that tricky transitional period between late winter and early spring, the Cover collection has its gaze cast towards the sky, watching for inclement weather. The brand has drawn on tsuyu, the Japanese word for rainy season, for each piece of wearable tech. Think GORE-TEX, sealed seams and hoods for days when you want to run through the world – but keep some of it out.

You can forget reflective strips to help you stay visible when it’s dark – the Windrunner Terrex Warp jacket carries an all-over sheen for extra cover. Accessories including hats, backpacks and shoes are adorned with extra flashes of reflectivity so that you can cut through the darkness of the urban landscape. We’re also fans of the speckle/tie-dye hybrid parka, an energetic layer to wear with simple grey sweats and sneakers.

Speaking of sneakers, no Y-3 collection would be complete without them. The Cover drop includes updates to classics such as the Yohji Star, which now comes in a black and white colourway with an exaggerated sole that undulates from heel to toe like a wave, and the Yohji Pros, a monochromatic high-top style, which will provide a sturdy, brutalist and contrasting base for soft sweatpants. 

In addition to being built for purpose and designed for style, the collection is a nod to our new normal. In Chapter One, we get a Y-3-emblazoned face mask and outerwear designed for getting out of the house. The collection also delivers hoodies, shorts, T-shirts and sweats for men who don’t want to look like they’ve just rolled out of bed all day but still value comfort as they make their way through our shifting reality. With so few opportunities to escape our immediate surroundings, we’ve all become urban explorers.

In fact, a shifting reality seems to be the name of the game here. Whether rain or shine, at home on or the street, this first drop from Y-3’s SS21 collection will see you through whatever the world throws at you, at least until the next drop comes. Something to look forward to, the next chapter Brace will keep you safe from spring’s howling winds. Until then, don’t forget to cover up.