KIMONO REMAKE @ VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK S/S 24
THE KIMONO REMAKE
Vancouver Fashion Week S/S 24 showcased five designers who presented collections based on remaking the kimono. My curiosity was piqued about this traditional garment and how modern designers are reinventing it.
The kimono is the most recognizable element of Asian apparel, evocative of ancient Japan. But it is not only a historical garment; today, a movement is awakening to bring new life to old kimonos. The kimono, as we all recognize it, dates back to Japan's Heian period (792-1192). However, it really came into its own between 1603 and 1868. Over time, kimono making and the kimonos became works of art, valuable family heirlooms, and ceremonial garbs for weddings, tea ceremonies, religious festivals, and other significant occasions. However, many kimonos were put aside and are no longer worn.
While no one can put a finger on when it started, the remaking of kimonos into contemporary and fashionable garments has taken off. Some say that it took off even more during the recent pandemic. Through my online research, I found hundreds of kimono remaking sites offering repurposed kimonos or courses on redesigning kimonos into other garments. Kimonos can be expensive because they are difficult to mass produce and are created from luxurious fabrics. While modern kimonos can be constructed from synthetic fabrics, most are made from hemp, linen, silk, silk brocade, silk crepes, and satin. A single kimono can contain as much as 15 meters of fabric. The kimono remake movement is going strong, and we can see it's strength at Vancouver Fashion Week.
KIMONO'S AT VFW S/S 24
Vancouver Fashion Week has a long history of supporting and showing international designers. One of the most common countries of visiting designers is Japan. Japan has a very strong fashion industry and is well known for producing creative and inventive designers. This season saw Japanese designers who expressed themselves through the repurposing of kimonos showing variety, originality, artistry and inventiveness . I will look at the individual designers and explore the spectrum of this recycled fashion movement..
KIMONO REMAKE
KAZUMI KIMONO
Kazumi Fujishiro is the designer behind the brand Kazumi Kimono. "I used to enjoy going to fabric stores to buy materials for making clothes, but at some point, I became interested in vintage kimono from second-hand clothing stores, seeking a unique charm not found in commercially available items. With high-quality materials, a strong and elegant design, delicate colors, and patterns imbued with wishes for happiness and prosperity, the kimono possesses numerous charms. Wearing it alone transforms movements and emotions into elegance, creating an embodiment of grace."
Kazumi Kimono sent a simple, elegant collection of bomber jackets and aloha shirts down the runway. The quality of the garments and the sense of vibrancy from the fabrics shone on the catwalk. Sometimes, beauty lies in uncomplicated things.
PHOTOS BY ARUN NEVADER
KIMONO REMAKE
ATELIER HALLY
Atelier Hally has a beautiful approach to remaking kimonos into luxury dresses. " I am a kimono aficionado. After I graduated from university, I studied the fundamentals of fashion at a specialist clothing design college. Ceremonial kimonos are sumptuous, filled with the charm and artisanship of Japan, with exquisite embroidery and dyes. However, wearing a kimono requires a number of accessories and a seasoned and skilled kimono dresser. For this reason, kimonos are not suitable for everyday wear."
Atelier Hally used classic silhouettes and refined techniques to produce a collection of highly wearable dresses. The skill of placing the kimono pattern on the skirts was outstanding. Sophisticated and elegant, the dresses range from daywear to evening wear.
KIMONO REMAKE
JUNO
Kimika Komatsu is the designer of the brand JUNO. Kimika specializes in haute couture pieces made out of upcycled kimonos and scrap fabrics, mostly selling her one-of-a-kind apparel and leasing out costumes for various media outlets, such as television dramas, movies, and concerts.
Juno comes across as a brand focused on the young woman who wants to wear something unique and who's not afraid of color. A bare midriff and a streamlined skirt in red and gold popped on the runway; for the less daring, there are a couple of full-skirted baby-doll silhouette dresses that are on trend and fun.
KIMONO REMAKE
Kimono Dress Atelier Midori
Kimono Dress Atelier Midori started making dresses from used kimonos during the COVID-19 pandemic. Midori has made stage costumes for musicians, beauty contestants, and the opera.
The collection that Kimono Dress Atelier Midori sent down the runway was a series of evening gowns. Incorporating a range of silhouettes from a column gown to a mermaid dress, the designer created gowns that showcased the kimono fabrics in all their splendor. The closing dress was a show-stopping, black full ball gown with golden appliques.
KIMONO REMAKE
ACOTE by YUKI KAWASAKI
Yuki Kawasaki is from Osaka, and entered the fashion design world three years ago. Yuki expresses an emotional connection to design and the kimono. "Within the brand name "Kimono remake Acote by Yuki Kawasaki," the term "Acote" holds a French meaning of "next to, side by side." It signifies bringing the kimono closer to people and encouraging a sense of closeness to this traditional garment. Many of the kimono remakes I create feature unique designs, carefully designed to blend seamlessly with a range of clothing styles. We aim to produce products that allow people to enjoy kimono remakes more intimately and effortlessly."
The collection Yuki sent down the runway was a casual and relaxed use of the kimono. The designer showed men's shirts and short sets, full floral skirts, caftans, and robes with a mix-and-match of prints incorporated into the same garment. The designer uses patterns to his advantage, creating vitality and movement.
IN CONCLUSION
The beauty of the kimono has fascinated people in the Western world since it was introduced to the West at the time of the Japan-ism movement at the end of the 19th Century. Since that time, fashion designers around the globe have been inspired by the kimono. Since the end of WW11, the daily wearing of kimonos has declined and had almost disappeared. However, Japanese street style in recent years has seen the kimono make a small resurgence. With the vast amount of kimonos available it only makes sense that these beautiful garments would be reborn. The Japanese designers who appeared at VFW all expressed their desire to share their love of the kimono with the larger world. Please visit the websites of these designers, and maybe you can buy and wear a piece of history.
CIAO FOR NOW J. ANDREW
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