The fashion world's recent craze for Japonisme -- manifested in a veritable tsunami of kimono-inspired looks on the catwalks of Paris and Milan -- may have come and gone, but designs based on traditional Japanese arts seem to be finding steady footing in the worldwide marketplace.

Take Toshiba's latest mobile handset for Vodafone, named Koto, which took the traditional Japanese instrument as its inspiration, incorporating smooth lines and dial keys that are based on its delicate strings.

And then there's Kabuku, a line of kabuki-inspired boots from American outdoor footwear maker Timberland.

First famous for their sturdy, waterproof yellow boots, Timberland unwittingly attained cult status among street-conscious youngsters worldwide in the late 1980s, and has since become a key component of urban attire. As part of an effort to move from functional apparel to more design-led products, the brand enlisted Tokyo-based Scottish fashion designer Patrick Ryan to oversee this project. Founder and director of cult label Yab Yum, Ryan says that he was surprised to get the offer to work with a sportswear brand -- as were those familiar with Patrick's retro-look Yab Yum label.

"Fashion editors and many of my customers couldn't believe that I was working with Timberland," says the 10-year Tokyo resident. "There's definitely a rustic, country feel to my work, but it's more classical than sporty -- my customers aren't really rugged, adventurous types."

But the new boots have an appeal much broader than the usual Timberland merchandise. The word "kabuku" meant "to be odd or different" and was used for stage plays in which men wore women's makeup and clothes. For this ambitious project, Ryan took his lead from the striking makeup and costumes of this 400-year-old art.

"For the men's models, I went for a hard masculine look," explains Ryan. "They are white with a bold red or black stripe. The ladies' boots feature a traditional Japanese flower motif so they are quite feminine, as well as being very sturdy." There are also limited edition models of which only 50 pairs (25 in black, 25 in brown) will be produced. These boots, based on Timberland's classic Low Top design, feature jacquard fabric lining based on kimono material and prints from traditional Japanese tattoos (47,250 yen).

Ryan, who has previously worked as a consultant designer for Burberry, says that Timberland's rigorous testing limited the number of designs that actually made it into production.

"Timberland has machines that put all their shoes through punishing tests to make sure they are literally indestructible," he says. "Some of the models I came up with were a bit too delicate and didn't make the grade."

But the soft-spoken Scot is pleased with the look of the finished product. "I thought I would be providing artistic direction or inspiration," he says. "But the finished product is almost exactly like my original sketches."

Paris-born Ryan is lauded in the Japanese fashion press for his folksy handcrafted look, which sometimes incorporates traditional Japanese themes such as carp and heraldic motifs, and his sensitivity to Japanese culture is cited as one of the main reasons he was chosen to head Timberland's first Japan-launched line.

His fluent Japanese and talent for handling the Japanese media has made the American shoemaker's project go very smoothly.

Present for the press conference and runway fashion show held last week was Nakamura Kantaro, a rising star of the contemporary kabuki scene, who was drafted in to model the boots and lend the launch a bit of credibility.

Nakamura, who recently starred in the NHK drama "Shinsengumi," has been on board in a supervisory capacity, providing expert advice about kabuki color schemes and the makeup that informs the boots' design.

Kabuku is set for worldwide release in November, with limited-edition items, including leather jackets and boots, being made only available in Japan.