2023.09.13

"Enriching the Lives of the Makers & Users" – itobanashi Shares the Charm of Indian Embroidery

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Traditional Indian craft, Indian Embroidery, has evolved in various regions across India, each with its unique techniques and designs. It is applied to a variety of items, including clothing, decorative items, and furniture.

The fashion brand itobanashi, led by Fumika Date, conveys the charm of Indian embroidery. Date, the CEO, fell in love with Indian embroidery during her college years, and this interest inspired her to start the brand. We delved deeper into the story behind the creation of itobanashi during our interview.

PROFILE

Fumika Date

CEO, Designer
Fumika Date established itobanashi while studying at Hiroshima University's graduate school. Since 2010, she has visited India twice a year, handling the overall design of the clothing.

Indian Embroidery Reflects History, Culture, & People's Lives

First, could you tell us about your encounter with India and Indian embroidery?

In 2011, during my freshman year at university, my visit to India piqued my interest in the social differences between India and Japan, especially women's issues. Subsequently, we organized student-led study tours focusing on poverty and educational disparities.

During these tours, I encountered an NGO that provided vocational training for women who had been victims of human trafficking and forced into illegal prostitution.

They taught these women sewing, which resulted in attractive products that were challenging to market. I wanted to facilitate their sales and boost their sense of achievement through fashion shows.

After enrolling in graduate school, I took a year's leave and studied in India for six months. During that time, I organized a fashion show where I first encountered Indian embroidery.

While in India, I complimented a woman in vocational training on her embroidery, and she responded, "Doing this embroidery reminds me of my hometown." This statement profoundly impacted me, and I became interested in how embroidery could help trafficking victims cherish their origins.

After traveling across India to learn about different embroidery styles, I founded 'itobanashi' as a sole proprietorship in 2016. The company was incorporated in 2017, and now we sell clothing and goods featuring Indian embroidery.

What kind of brand is 'itobanashi'?

With the slogan "Enriching the Lives of the Makers and Users," itobanashi aims to provide fair wages, proper work environments, and sustain high levels of craftsmanship for the artisans, including the embroidery craftsmen.

We strive to deliver garments and goods that convey the makers' emotions and enrich the users' lives with meticulous craftsmanship.

Our brand name, 'itobanashi,' meaning 'a story that begins with a thread,' embodies our hope for everyone involved in the brand to connect like the main characters of a story.

Please tell us about the types of Indian embroidery handled by itobanashi (Aari Embroidery, Kantha Embroidery, Chikankari Embroidery).

Aari Embroidery originated in the Kashmir region and utilizes a hook needle called 'Aari'. Employing wool yarn and fabric appropriate for the cold climate, this embroidery does not use a hoop. The gender ratio among artisans is approximately 50% male and 50% female, a sign of the craft's sustainability as an industry.

Kantha Embroidery originates from the Bengal region (West Bengal in India and Bangladesh) and uses the same technique as the Japanese 'sashiko'.

Uncommonly in Indian embroidery, it involves designs of living beings like people and animals. Many artisans doing this work are Muslims, where iconography is traditionally prohibited. It's believed that Kantha Embroidery, which includes figures, served as a tool to preserve the history of village life and other narratives before the establishment of these religious views.

Chikan embroidery originates from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh in India. This technique comprises 33 different types, producing beauty through complex combinations. Especially famous is the "Shadow Work" technique, where a large amount of embroidery is done on the backside of the fabric.

During the Mughal Empire, this embroidery was exclusive to the royalty, and its nobility was highlighted through 'White Work', performed using single-color white threads. It remains a purely hand-embroidered technique, without any mechanization.