The kimono jacket: not just big in Japan, as it happens. Take a look at some of the best street-style pictures from the year so far (and scroll through the latest offerings at MR PORTER) and you’ll see that the Japanese-style jacket signified by wide sleeves and robed fastening is having a moment. Call it a broadening of sartorial norms and a globalised approach to getting dressed if you like, but the bottom line is that kimono-esque jackets simply look quite cool. Marrying the smartness of, say, a smoking jacket with the laissez faire attitude of an oversized cardigan, this is a good one for those of us who are bored with stuffy tailoring and fancy ourselves capable of pulling off something a bit different.

They were popular with envelope-pushers like Messrs David Bowie and Brian Eno and more recently have found favour among rappers Young Thug and Mr Kendrick Lamar, who have both worn kimonos on stage.

Homegrown Japanese brands such as KAPITAL and Blue Blue Japan have been crafting kimono jackets as part of their menswear offering for years, of course, but until recently it’s rare that you would see them being worn outside of Japan on anyone but fashion nerds. Now, however, brands including Dior have adopted the kimono-esque look into their tailoring through their one-and-a-half breasted blazers, and Californian brand Fear of God has made a jacket that is belted and draped like a jinbei (a traditional form of Japanese nightwear).

The literal translation of kimono is, simply, a “thing you wear”, and historically it has always been a gender-fluid garment, draping across the chest in a way that feels simultaneously sophisticated and relaxed. Nowadays the term kimono refers to garments in varying lengths and formalities (depending on the occasion), and they have the unique quality of looking enduringly stylish despite having been around since the 15th century.

Also, they’re varied: on the street, we’ve spotted kimono jackets that are quilted, short-sleeved, and colourful. As far as wearing them for yourself, styling them is deceptively simple – just keep it minimal. A white T-shirt with chinos is the easiest way to go; although a bit safe on their own, the addition of a kimono jacket will carry the rest of your outfit and make it infinitely more interesting. Keep your silhouette relaxed by going for wider fits, and you’ll be doing it right.