Vivienne Westwood x NANA: They’re Back on the Runway
After twenty-five years of wanting and waiting, the punk souls have finally returned with a brand-new edition and fashion collaboration. Happy birthday, NANA, and welcome back!
“Hey Nana…’Member when we first met?”
To fans who recognize this line: This is neither a dream nor a drill. The destined collaboration that we’ve all been wanting and waiting for IS REALLY HERE! Time to get out of bed and pop that champagne!
To the rest of you out there curious: This is the big moment of NANA, the legendary shōjo manga created by Ai Yazawa. Sixteen years after its indefinite hiatus back in 2009, NANA is making a grand return to celebrate its 25th anniversary and collaborating with Vivienne Westwood, the revolutionary British fashion brand famous for its provocative punk aesthetics and sculpted design.
On October 7, 2025, Vivienne Westwood (@westwoof_japan) posted a short teaser on X, confirming its official partnership with NANA. The two have united as if guided by fate.
Overwhelmed by the surprising news, ecstatic fans are now over the moon. If, by any chance, you have read NANA, you would be no stranger to Vivienne Westwood. The characters are known for their incredibly sassy, VW-inspired outfits, and, with keen eyes, you can spot them wearing real Westwood pieces in the manga. Their Rock ’n’ Roll ambitions and unconventional journey to musical Hall of Fame celebrate individuality, youth, and rebellion, the very same sentiments reflected in Westwood’s designs. The secret recipe of Japanese shōjo, dramatic romance, and punk fashion creates a kind of magic that transcends the boundary of storytelling and drives fans crazy; many were even introduced to the brand through reading the manga. It is not an exaggeration that a Vivienne Westwood x NANA collaboration was once the fans’ wildest dream. Now, it is finally becoming reality.
For readers who are just discovering NANA, I am glad to have you here today. You have came across a representative masterpiece of shōjo manga work renowned for its delicate and empathetic storytelling. Nine years (2000-2009) of serial runs in Shueisha’s monthly shōjo manga magazine Cookie have earned NANA a high status in the hearts of millions of fans globally. In 2006, Studio Madhouse adapted the series into a 47-episode anime. The visceral story of NANA is one of a kind — you’ll never find a substitute, and frankly, you wouldn’t even want one.
The manga centers on the complicated lives of two young women — Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki — who meet on a train to Tokyo. While sharing the same first name, these girls are two worlds apart. Driven by her music ambition, Nana Osaki is a rock band vocalist who yearns for fame and hopes to sing until death. Smoky eye makeup and Vivienne Westwood clothing make her a cool, untouchable black cat. In contrast, Nana Komatsu’s greatest happiness is about finding Prince Charming after going through a series of tragic love affairs. Wherever she goes, daydreams and pink bubbles follow.
Destiny brings them together, however, for they are two sides of a single coin. Both seek their desired joy and a place to belong. The two Nanas become roommates and best friends, experiencing the bizarre encounters, challenges, and heartbreaks in the dangerously dazzling city of Tokyo as a team. They grow to uncover and confront the cruel truth of the adult world — there is no such thing as “forever.” No matter how much passion or attachment, nobody can ever fully possess another. Reality is never a fairy tale, and departure seems to be an inevitable lesson.
Childhood trauma, rock music, isolation, and the transient yet immortal nature of all things, especially pain and love, interweaves to create NANA. It is important to understand the two fundamental beliefs of the whole work: One, it is possible that an individual can have romantic and quasi-romantic feelings toward multiple individuals at once. Two, loneliness is inescapable no matter how intimate people grow with one another; no action can ever compensate for that essential void of existence.
Though it appears to be just another coming-of-age melodrama at first sight, NANA manages to stand tall among the rest of its contemporaries. Ai Yazawa writes with honesty and empathy that cuts straight to the throat, exploring and dissecting the emotional complexity, inner psyche, and vulnerability of her characters so thoroughly that it stirs resonance and even a sense of insecurity in her readers. She writes as not a creator, but as someone who actually lives in that world. She sees through what’s inside a human’s heart that makes drama unfold for a clear reason. It is Yazawa and NANA’s philosophy that drama is not a plot device, but life itself.
This is what brings the story of NANA to life. While readers complain about the flaws of characters and their chaotic relationships, they cannot help but over and over finds parts of their own self reflected within them, forming a love-hate relationship with those unbearable yet raw and visceral emotions.
Going back to the exciting news of collaboration, a new edition is scheduled to be released on October 21, 2025 in honor of the anniversary. Ai Yazawa has also illustrated a stunning cover design for the 25th Anniversary Edition, Vol.1: Vivienne Westwood Edition (Limited), featuring NANA’s two heroines, Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki, walking down a runway in iconic Vivienne Westwood looks, which include womenswear in bold tartan motifs, signature orb jewelry, and Rocking Horse Ballerina shoes. Additionally, the special edition features plaid sprayed edges that match Vivienne Westwood’s classic patterns. The sincerity and cross-media craftsmanship behind this long-awaited partnership stands the test of both manga fans and fashion enthusiasts alike.
To all those who attended New York Comic Con 2025 on October 9 to 12, I hope you managed to grab a copy at VIZ Media’s booth, where the special collaborative edition made an early debut. If you did not, do not worry — here is a quick reminder: the edition will drop exclusively at Books-a-Million on October 21. If you haven’t placed an order yet, you have that chance now. You may also find copies at Vivienne Westwood boutiques starting on October 30. Living in the UK? The edition will be available via Waterstones on November 20, 2025.
Release dates may vary by country. For the purchasing options in other countries, please look out for future updates from NANA’s official social media accounts.
Along with the new edition, the anniversary celebration further introduces an exclusive collection of merchandise. Some of these items are now available for purchase through Japan Post, including a commemorative stamp set (complete with five framed stamps, one A4-sized special stamp, twenty-one postcards, and one A4 folder), blind box pin badges, blind box keychains, and canvas tote bags. For readers hoping to expand their collections and savor the enduring legacy of NANA, this merchandise is a must-have.
As the release of the new edition is fast approaching, perhaps it is time to revisit this masterpiece and return to all the romantic pains and gains in these days of anticipation.
Happy 25th birthday, NANA, and welcome back!
