​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

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

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