Broken Bones

BROKEN BONES – The Brand Story

Masafumi Watanabe, born in 1971 in Tokyo, is the creative force behind BROKEN BONES. His journey began as a fashion model in his teens, giving him an early insight into style, presence, and culture. With an Art degree from Musashino Art University in hand, he moved to London, immersing himself in the city’s vibrant fashion and creative scene, where he developed a deep interest in the conceptual and artistic side of design. Returning to Japan, Masafumi leveraged his international experience to contribute to the launch of several apparel brands, gradually carving out his space in the adult street fashion scene.

In 2004, he founded BEDWIN, a brand blending Tokyo style, Americana, and avant-garde sensibilities, earning recognition both in Japan and abroad.

In 2020, Masafumi opened DAYZ in MIYASHITA PARK, Tokyo — a curated select shop featuring Tokyo street culture, sneaker brands, and unique collaborations. DAYZ reflects his ongoing commitment to community, creativity, and pushing cultural boundaries.

In 2019, Masafumi founded BROKEN BONES, a brand born on the mats of Tokyo and rooted in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. From the outset, BROKEN BONES was envisioned as a bridge between sports and fashion — translating the discipline, technique, and energy of martial arts into apparel that is both functional and visually striking. The brand was created for the bold: those who live for movement, creativity, and authenticity. It quickly evolved into a cultural expression, collaborating with artists, photographers, and designers who share the same fearless ethos.

In September 2022, BROKEN BONES released its first major collaboration with Shoyoroll, the globally recognized BJJ brand. This special edition included a high-quality gi (kimono) and a matching no-gi training set, featuring BROKEN BONES’ signature skeleton motif and bold monochrome aesthetic while maintaining Shoyoroll’s performance standards. The collaboration marked BROKEN BONES’ first step into the global BJJ scene, establishing the brand as both stylish and authentic within the martial arts community.

In 2022, Masafumi met Oscar, a fellow BJJ enthusiast who had recently moved from Stockholm to Tokyo. Training together at their neighborhood dojo, they discovered a shared passion for design, storytelling, and building a brand that reflects their lifestyle. Their partnership quickly evolved from casual training sessions into a creative collaboration grounded in shared ambition and vision. Together, they began shaping BROKEN BONES into a brand that seamlessly blends sports and fashion, combining martial arts performance with cutting-edge design and fearless self-expression.

By January 2025, BROKEN BONES expanded beyond Japan, bringing its high-quality kimonos and apparel to a global audience. With a steadfast commitment to authenticity, creativity, and performance, the brand represents what’s real — raw, unapologetic, and true to the culture of both BJJ and creative expression. Combining Masafumi’s decades of fashion experience with Oscar’s international perspective, BROKEN BONES continues to grow as a bridge between sports, style, and culture, offering products that are as functional as they are visually striking.

BROKEN BONES is more than apparel; it is a statement of lifestyle — a brand for those who live boldly, create fearlessly, and move with purpose.

1. What sparked the idea for Broken Bones Inc. in the first place?
I’ve always lived between two worlds: fashion and martial arts. Brazilian jiu-jitsu taught me discipline, movement, and presence, while decades in streetwear and fashion taught me storytelling and aesthetics. BROKEN BONES started as a way to bridge those worlds — to create apparel that respects performance but also expresses personality, creativity, and fearlessness.

2. What defines the brand’s look when you strip everything else away?
At its core, BROKEN BONES is raw, bold, and unapologetic. It’s about simplicity with impact — clean silhouettes, strong graphic elements, and materials that feel authentic. Even if you remove logos or trends, the energy of movement and the spirit of the brand are still visible.

3. How does a new design begin for you?
Design always starts with a feeling or a story. Sometimes it’s inspired by a movement on the mat, a texture, or an image from the street. I sketch or create a mood board, and from there, I think about how it will work in motion, how it will feel to wear, and how it expresses the BROKEN BONES identity.

4. What detail in your apparel matters most to you, even if no one notices?
The small details — the stitching, the cut, the texture — those are everything. Even if someone doesn’t consciously see them, they feel it. That’s where authenticity lives. For example, areinforced seam or the placement of a motif can completely change how the garment moves and feels.

5. How do you keep the brand’s raw edge without losing wearability?
It’s a constant balance. I never sacrifice function for style, or style for function. Every piece must perform in motion but also communicate attitude. That tension — rawness with usability — is what gives the brand its identity.

6. What’s one design call you’d make differently today?
In the past, we focused on dropping single items or standalone graphics. Today, every piece and drop is tied to a story, a concept, or a feeling — something that connects the collection and gives it meaning. If I could do anything differently, it would have been to start with this approach from the very beginning, so every design carries both narrative and functionality, not just visuals.

7. What direction do you want the brand to push toward next?
We want to continue bridging sports and fashion globally. That means exploring new performance fabrics, expanding our BJJ and no-gi collections, and collaborating with artists who share our fearless aesthetic. It’s about growing without losing our soul.

8. What part of Broken Bones must never change, no matter how big it gets?
The spirit of authenticity and fearlessness. BROKEN BONES is for people who move with intention, live boldly, and embrace creativity without compromise. That philosophy — the raw edge — can never be diluted.