​PASSIONEER

The crepe texture of ichikoshi chirimen created by strongly twisted silk yarns. Fashion designers around the world often use silk crepe. However, traditional Japanese chirimen silk  is almost never used in global fashion. Why is that? The answer begins with the structure of kimono fabric . Kimono cloth is woven as a tanmono  — a narrow bolt of fabric measuring about 38 centimeters in width . This width already makes it difficult to meet the needs of modern fashion design. Gar

Modern coat made with traditional kimono tailoring techniques This coat is built using the techniques of kimono tailoring.Even without wearing a kimono, it is possible to wear the craftsmanship of kimono making itself. This coat is an example of that idea. The outer fabric is Oitama tsumugi , a silk textile woven from pre-dyed threads. Because the yarns are dyed before weaving, the cloth has no true “front” or “back,” making it an ideal material for an unlined coat. It resis

The moment the boundary closes, existence begins. 　A garment is not born at the moment it is cut.Nor at the moment it is sewn.Even when it takes shape, it does not yet fully exist. A garment begins to exist at the moment it becomes capable of movement. In traditional Japanese tailoring, one of the processes that determines this boundary is fuki .The outer fabric and lining are brought together, and the needle advances while the edge is adjusted by fractions. What takes place

Straight-line cutting enables dismantling and reconstruction, preserving garments across centuries. Japanese garments are designed with reconstruction as a premise. When the wearer’s body changed, the garment was dismantled, washed, and reassembled. Sleeves could be replaced, sections recombined, and the fabric given new life. This continuous chain of transformation is the essence of straight-line cutting. In traditional tailoring, this practice is called kurimawashi , a rati

Jun Ichikawa at the 2026 Winter Olympic Closing Ceremony. A reconstructed 1970s fabric transformed into a contemporary dress. The closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Italy-based actor Jun Ichikawa took the stage. She wore a pink and black dress, a reconstruction of a 1970s fabric. This was no mere "remake." It was a structural transformation. Kimono are traditionally constructed with flat cuts. The fabric is not cut to fit the body; the body adjusts to the fabric. H

An everyday shibori yukata worn by my grandmother, carrying time through washing. Tags In the early Shōwa period, my grandmother wore this yukata.From the early Meiji era onward, chemical dyes became widespread, and labor-intensive natural indigo gradually declined. This piece is no exception. A deep navy dyed with synthetic pigments. Not a garment for outings, but everyday wear. She put it on after her bath. Around the collar was an astonishingly thick cotton sweat guard — s

Scarlet once worn at court. Time reshaped, not erased. The scarlet hakama my great-grandmother wore at court.It is now an obi. This color is too young for me.Too vivid, too alive. Yet this scarlet is proof that she lived.A trace of time that has not disappeared, only changed form. Clothes do not end when they are remade.They continue, quietly, waiting. One day, this piece will be passed on again.Her time will move forward, carried by another body. Time leaves its mark on cl

A kimono partially unpicked and set aside, bearing traces of time and care from being worn and loved.

Once undone, the work of those who came before disappears. 　 A brown mawata tsumugi.An everyday garment, sewn by a seamstress of the Fushimi household for her own son.It is not a fine or luxurious piece. Yet the care embedded in ordinary handwork from the past is immediately apparent. More than anything, it carries the trace of a woman’s hands—hands shaped by years of service within the Imperial Household. That alone makes it a rare garment. It was given to me by a friend of

The structure of a garment expresses the philosophy behind it, before it even looks. Wasai (traditional Japanese sewing) and kimonos are garments that are designed to be re-tailored. They are never intended to be a "one-off" garment. This philosophy is built into every aspect of their construction. The reason they are not sewn with a sewing machine is not out of nostalgia or a celebration of handcrafted work; it is to avoid leaving stitches. Stitches made with silk and hand-s

Passioneer's duster coat project has begun. The first kit, "Twilight," is heading to France. Bring the silence of hand-stitching to you. A fragment of silence named "Yoiyami" has departed for France. This is more than a kit; it is the first chapter of the Duster Coat Project. As the needle passes through the deep black Oshima Tsumugi silk, you are stitching back together your own "stolen time."

The Rose-red Fuki: A protective border designed to be replaced, ensuring the legacy lives for a century. Why do we obsess over details that remain hidden? Shohei Ohtani famously hid his beloved dog's image inside his suit lining—this is the Japanese spirit of "Ura-masari"  (Hidden Luxury). Our latest piece, "KINSHU," carries a deeper secret. It was originally hand-tailored by a master seamstress who served the Fushimi-no-miya  (the Imperial branch of Japan). Every stitch pres

　今年最後の着物として、華やかな訪問着を選びました。この訪問着は、冬の美しさと日本の伝統を感じさせる一枚で、雪景色と大名行列が描かれています。 色とりどりの冬の風景の色合いは淡いグレーで、全体の印象は非常に清楚です。しかし、裾には繊細な雪景色が描かれており、主役は大名行列です。

True elegance resides in the edges. Look closely at the cuffs of our coats. A slender line of contrasting color against the main fabric. This is the traditional Japanese technique called "Fuki". It is a "secret conversation" between the designer and you. Authentic Oshima Tsumugi silk coat cuff detail, blue grid pattern with contrasting red Fuki lining This is "Oshima Tsumugi,"  known as the queen of Kimono textiles. It features precise geometric patterns and a deep indigo hue

A lifetime blue tsumugi A lifetime choice. The deep indigo color of the traditional Japanese "Blue Tsumugi" tells the story. A lifetime blue tsumugi A Choice for Life. The deep indigo color tells the story of Japan’s traditional "Blue Tsumugi" charm.  Tsumugi is known as a Japanese silk textile that requires exceptional time and labor. This Blue Tsumugi features a beautiful deep indigo blue and a matte texture that enhances the wearer's elegance. This is more than just a fash

Architectural Silk: Where tradition meets modern structure. [ 日本語で読む ]　[ Lire en Français ] Today, I want to talk about "Structure." Have you seen the latest video on my Instagram? ([Link to Instagram]) This silver coat is not just a piece of clothing. It is Modern Armor . In a chaotic world, what we wear should protect us, empower us, and define our silhouette with absolute precision. The Logic of Geometry The fabric is a rare silver silk, woven with a complex geometric pat

1. The Myth of Delicate Silk When you see a price tag of $1,480, you expect a lifetime investment. But many people fear silk is too delicate, especially when it comes to vintage kimono textiles. We are here to tell you: Tsumugi Silk is the strongest, toughest silk in Japanese history. Unlike delicate Satin or shiny Crepe, Tsumugi was originally a working-class fabric worn by farmers and artisans. It was engineered not for luxury, but for longevity . TSUMUGI silk duster coat b

Look at this Duster Coat. A deep, quiet purple Tsumugi silk. It has the dignified presence that only 70-year-old vintage Japanese silk possesses. But the true value lies "hidden" . 【Uramasari: Hidden Luxury】The shock revealed when taken off. This lining design is based on a Samurai warlord's surcoat held in the MoMA collection. A shocking, vivid red. A massive family crest ( Kamon ) boldly dyed across the back. This is the traditional Japanese aesthetic of "Uramasari" (Hidden

100-year-old history. My mission is to save these treasures from being discarded. No machines. Every stitch is done by hand to let the silk breathe. Title: The Sound of Silk: Why I Resurrect 100-Year-Old Kimonos Can you imagine how much authentic silk is thrown away every single day in Japan? The amount is staggering. Among them are "Tsumugi" silks, hand-woven over 100 years ago. They are discarded simply because they don't fit modern lifestyles. In Japan, we have a word: "Mo

A child's kimono, revived in a timeless shade of purple. "Small memories" sleeping in the back of the dresser. Children's kimonos. They are precious garments, filled with the love of parents and grandparents, and carefully stored away in the back of the closet. However, the size, color, and pattern are all child-sized, and there's no longer an opportunity to wear them... But you probably have a strong desire to "wear it again someday" or "not let these memories go to waste."