Mesmerized at First Glance

I will never forget the first time I saw an authentic Japanese kimono at a flea market in Tokyo. It was a haori, a short jacket worn over a kimono, adorned with painted and embroidered floral motifs on luminous olive green silk. The vibrant colours and intricate patterns caught my eye from afar, but it was even more stunning up close. The finesse of the design and the brilliance of the gold threads woven into the silk were mesmerising. It felt like this garment belonged in a museum display rather than at a flea market stall.

It was April 2014, and I had just moved to Japan’s capital to spend a year studying fashion design. I soon discovered that finding kimonos at flea markets was not rare, and there were even entire markets and specialized shops dedicated to selling vintage kimonos and accessories.

Today, ten years later, I am certain that discovering and having access to these artisanal treasures is one of the reasons I never left Japan. Inspired by the beauty and history of these textiles, I decided to stay in Japan and embark on a new creative journey. I began recycling these discarded fabrics into one-of-a-kind bags. Transforming old into new became a labour of love, breathing new life into forgotten treasures.