KIMONO RE-WOKRS
There seems to be no reason why you can't adore the beauty of kimonos.
In the long history of fashion in Japan, kimono culture has played a great role in manufacturing high quality textiles and straps while developing delicate and various techniques of dyeing and weaving.
They are beautiful: not only because of the fineness of the materials (like silk), but also the pattern designs and that well match the fabric textures.
Wearing KIMONOs in a traditional way, however, is less common and not always easy for everyone in modern times. Nowadays, for many people in Japan, kimonos are not their daily pick anymore, but rather something formal to wear in special occasions.
Kimono reworking (or upcycling ) is a solution to enjoy the beauty of kimonos more casually.
Sewn into western (now universal) clothes, the kimonos long left in the closet regain a chance to work as clothing, certainly in a more convenient way.
The kimono re-working process is not easy.
Kimono textiles are unique: they are usually delicate to handle, and are less friendly for making ordinary clothes using sewing machines, with very thin and soft texture and small-sized width (only 37cm or 14.5 in) .
Moreover, each kimono has its own beauty that, I believe, should be kept and integrated well when it made into a different clothing item. Perfect pattern-making and design match exclusively for kimonos are required.
Once the kimono is made into another clothes, it cannot be returned to its original shape, and it is also difficult to unravel and sew it again.
In order to make the most of the quality of the original kimono, I use all of my technique and creative senses in this re-working processes of kimono, with constant researches and improvements.
For more information about Chelseasouko's commitment to kimono re-working, click HERE!
Some of my re-worked kimono items are available at my ONLINE SHOP.
What's special?
When re-working kimonos into modern clothing, I make the most of the original features of the kimono, while also making it easy to wear and care, long-lasting and of course, beautiful.
[Pattern-making]
All the patterns used for kimono re-working are made exclusively for delicate kimono fabrics.
Since the width of the kimono fabric is usually very narrow, it takes a lot of work of putting the pieces together. I carefully consider how and where to cut the fabric and sew the pieces together without ruining its beauty, to make it look better as clothes and not to make it lose its shape after a long time of use.
Additionally, many kimonos are thin and delicate, and the fabric itself may be old and easily damaged.
I also take great care in the design so that there is as little unnecessary stress on the fabric during process.
[Pattern-placing balance]
The pattern placement have an impact on the impression of the finished garment.
When re-working a kimono, it is important that the finished garment has a perfect match of the kimono textile's original pattern.
This is especially true to kimonos with large pattern ( such as "furisode").
In order not to spoil the original color and pattern image, the aesthetic sense is put to the test.
It's quite difficult to perfectly arrange the patterns of the textiles with limited width and amount, but I think that's where my skills and senses are tested.
[Beautiful finish on the wrong side ]
I use a unique sewing technique for seam allowances when re-working kimonos.
My method make the seam allowance on the wrong side of the garment less snagging, without using overlocks.
The more commonly used method of overlocking is quick and easy, but I think it is not secure enough.
What if overlocked thread gets caught on something (when washing it, maybe), the fabric may become tangled, damaged, or lose its shape.
Remember, kimono fabrics are thin and deliacate!
On top of it, I feel that the lock stitching doesn't match the beauty of the kimono. Even if it's on the wrong side of the clothes...
☟This is a sample image of the WRONG SIDE of a re-worked kimono dress. Check how my method of finishing seam allowances look like!
