For decades, Sailor Moon has continued to be an iconic anime, from captivating young girls’ childhood with its lovable story and characters to popularizing and shaping the Mahou Shoujo genre. Other than keeping her relevance in the media she extends it further by influencing even the fashion industry, from a Collaboration with Jimmy Choo to Gentle Monster’s Jewelry Collection.
Sailor Moon’s leg in the fashion world starts from its creator, Naoko Takeuchi’s love for high fashion and the runway which heavily influenced the designs for her heroines and villainesses’ outfits echoing the haute couture collections from the 1990s. From Christian Dior’s regal elegance to Thierry Mugler’s dark theatricality, these high-fashion influences give Sailor Moon a distinctive aesthetic.
Naoko Takeuchi, the author of Sailor Moon manga, was really into fashion. Everyday outfits of her characters follow the fashion standards of the 1990s—and their most luxurious dresses are haute couture-inspired. pic.twitter.com/QM1GkKFhdr
— artforintrovert (@artforintrovert) October 1, 2021
The most well-known inspiration found in the show is the white gown worn by Princess Serenity, a symbol of her royal heritage, was designed after Christian Dior’s Palladium Dress from the 1992 collection. This dress has an empire waist, fancy gold embellishments, and cap sleeves, giving off a Grecian elegance. It perfectly complements the Moon Kingdom’s classical architecture and its connection to wisdom and beauty. Similarly, Neo-Queen Serenity’s gown bares resemblance to Roberto Capucci’s Angel of Gold Dress, adding layers of grandeur and celestial symbolism.
Today, we continue our tour into the high fashion world of Sailor Moon. Let’s start with Kermesite who adored the avant-garde Thierry Mugler brand and wore a suit from its Fall/Winter 1992 collection. pic.twitter.com/ivhtenUZGW
— artforintrovert (@artforintrovert) October 9, 2021
Takeuchi’s villains too reflect her love of fashion. Koan, a member of the Black Moon Clan, can be seen wearing a dark, pinstriped bodysuit with a feathery tutu, directly inspired by Mugler’s Fall 1992 runway collection. Wicked Lady, the evil version of Chibiusa, wears a sleek, darkly opulent gown very similar to the one seen in Yves Saint Laurent’s perfume ad campaign.
The Shitennou, Queen Beryl’s generals in the Dark Kingdom, wear military-inspired uniforms that directly reference Mugler’s 1986 Fall/Winter collection also called Mugler’s “Les Milteuses”. Queen Beryl, herself, is dressed in a gown that closely mirrors Mugler’s 1992s bodycon evening gowns, with a dramatic keyhole cutout in the bodice. Calaveras, another member of the Black Moon Clan, wears a version of Christian Lacroix’s ultra-structured sleeveless dress from the Fall/Winter 1992 collection.
While the villains have dramatic gothic styles influenced by Theirry Mugler and Yves Saint Laurent, the Sailor Guardians and their allies take inspiration from more youthful, elegant and high fashion brands such as Chanel and Dior. Each Sailor Moon Guardian’s fashion reflects their personality and powers.
The outer sailor soldiers, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus, wear outfits influenced by Versace’s 1993 collections. Sailor Pluto wears a baroque chain-covered Chanel inspired gown exuding both elegance and power. Since the anime takes place in the ’90s, there are plenty of pastels, overalls, high-waisted skirts, and denim-jacket ensembles that look fashionable even till date.
Sailor Moon has also provided ample inspiration for the designers of today with brands taking notice of the series’ impact and long-lasting influence. Sailor Moon has been a long time inspiration for Sandy Liang. Her love for the franchise can be seen throughout her collections and Instagram feed; from her Moonie shirt in 2019 to her Luna puffer dotted with anime eyes, plus jewelry named after planets, inspired by the Sailor Scouts. Marine Serre’s signature crescent moon prints have long since been attributed to Sailor Moon’s celestial aesthetic that centers on the moon.
And while it is not the original inspiration, Marine Serre has gone on record saying she doesn’t mind people interpreting and attributing it to the popular manga. ColourPop cosmetics’ collaboration with the famed series broke the Sailor Moon fan side of the internet twice, once in 2019 and again in 2023. Sailor Moon’s collaboration with KITH featured a capsule collection, including images on high-priced tees and cropped hoodies of the Sailor Senshi team and the black-and-white KITH logo. As part of the Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary celebration, the franchise collaborated with the Keisuke Kanda fashion brand.
Products included bags, paper aprons, and socks. All of the products were designed by the Keisuke Kanda brand and sold by Bandai. The brand Riccimie New York collaborated with Sailor Moon to create high quality, detailed dresses with exquisite and flowy silhouettes, specifically Princess Serenity’s gown. The line was called Premiere Salon and sold by Premium Bandai.
Jimmy Choo x Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Returns
— Jimmy Choo (@jimmychoo) October 9, 2024
The story continues, bringing to life more characters from the iconic manga series and amplifying the collective superpowers of the Sailor Guardians
Together, they shine#JimmyChoo #PrettyGuardianSailorMoon… pic.twitter.com/RKCHi19FwL
Sailor Moon’s longevity was proven again in the last year with the Jimmy Choo Pretty Sailor Guardian Collection which featured boots designed for and after each of the five inner sailor soldiers alongside handbags with the manga panel printings. This collection was so successful, the brand issued a second collaboration this time featuring boots designed after the outer sailor soldiers and Chibiusa. Fans praised both collaborations as having done justice to the beloved characters and their styles. The collaboration came to be known by people even outside the series’ fandom.
Recently Gentle Monster came out with their new Jewelry Collection. The collection included eyewear marketed as accessories/jewelries alongside a promotional wand. The wand along with the bejeweled glasses were very reminiscent of sailor moon’s aesthetic.
And just two months ago Charlotte Tilbury came out with its latest Beauty Soulmates Face Palette. Anyone who looked at it was yet again immediately reminded of sailor moon and her iconic transformation brooch.
Sailor Moon’s influence on fashion is far more than a nostalgic nod to the past, it is a testament to the series’ enduring power to inspire, transform, and redefine what it means to blend fantasy with style. What began as Naoko Takeuchi’s love letter to haute couture has evolved into a global cultural force that continues to shape runways, brand collaborations, and beauty trends decades later. Whether through Jimmy Choo’s elegant boots, Gentle Monster’s glittering eyewear, or Charlotte Tilbury’s celestial palettes, Sailor Moon remains an aesthetic muse that is proof that magical girls can lead fashion revolutions too.
By integrating high-fashion elements into her work, Takeuchi created a world where clothing is more than just decoration, it is a reflection of her characters’ identity, power, and transformation. As designers and fans alike continue to find meaning and beauty in its universe, Sailor Moon’s legacy proves that true style, much like the Moon Kingdom, is timeless. In doing so, she not only transformed Sailor Moon into a stunning anime with enchanting visuals, the anime became not only a pop-culture phenomenon but also a treasure trove for fashion enthusiasts.
