Future Beauty is a collection of more than 100 garments from the prestigious Kyoto Costume Institute, ranging from the revolutionary, the practical, the high-concept, the decadent and the just plain bizarre.

Assistant curator Tarun Nagesh said the eye-catching exhibit is a perfect fit for the Gallery of Modern Art.

"We've had great success with fashion shows here, and a really long engagement with contemporary Japanese culture," he said.

"It made great sense for us to look at this hugely influential period of Japanese fashion."

The display begins with the game-changing 1982 collections of designers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, which caused a phenomenon called "Japan shock" when they debuted in Paris.

"They were very monochrome, very black, at a time when European fashion was dominated by colour," he said.

"They were really bringing more of a Japanese aesthetic - a subtle use of colour, minimalism, deconstruction and the imperfect."

The exhibition includes video footage of the gowns on the catwalks, with the photographers and fashion writers visibly stunned.

"It had a huge impact at that time in Paris, in front of the fashion elite... it was so radically different," Mr Nagesh said.

Other themes the exhibit explores is the "flatness" of many designs, inspired by the traditional structure of a kimono, the rise of street fashion such as the Lolita and Harajuku looks, and the truly avant-garde, such as a gown with an umbrella headpiece, or a spangly skintight bodysuit, as worn by Lady Gaga.

"That one isn't really daywear...unless you're Lady Gaga," Mr Nagesh said.

For the first time in Brisbane, Japanese designer label Comme de Garcons has established a pop-up shop in the gallery to sell the brand's famous ready-to-wear t-shirts, wallets and perfumes – all emblazoned with its trademark love heart.

Manager Christine St Clair said their Melbourne store had experienced an incredible response in the two years it had been open.

"Brisbane was always the next destination, it wasn't Sydney or Perth, it was always Brisbane," she said.

"We feel it's a city that's growing, that's ready for it, it feels exciting, like things are happening here."

Jacinta Mainstone, 21, was one of a dozen 'Harujuku girls' who attended Friday's opening festivities at GOMA's invitation.

Her look is more 'fairy kei' than 'Lolita', which means a bright, cutesy, anime character look, as opposed to the modest Lolita look with longer skirts, petticoats and ruffles.

"It's all about expression and experimentation," said the fine arts and fashion student.

"Brisbane has got one of the largest Japanese-based subculture scenes in Australia... although sometimes the weather can get tricky with the wigs because it gets too hot."

Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion runs until February 15, 2015 at the Gallery of Modern Art.

For special events across the opening weekend of November 1-2, visit the QAGOMA website.