Hi this is Shohei.
As I wrote in my blog on last July, this shirt was the first item we introduced from the fall/winter 2022 collection.
At that time, I wrote that "strong and powerful items are coming in" and among them, the first item I introduced was the Kimono Collar Shirt with a minimal design.
Now that the second drop from the fall/winter 2023 collection has just arrived, I still want to talk about this shirt.
Even after a year has passed, the shirt still looks great.
For the spring/summer 2023 collection, a short-sleeved version and an extended length version were produced, both of which were popular.
Today, I would like to reintroduce the Kimono Collar Shirt, which is now available in a new color.
Matching the concept as well as the season's theme of -Voices From The Snow-.
KUON's designer, Shinishiro Ishibashi described what he learned from observing snow in Iwate prefecture.
The winters in Iwate were long.
Everything became white when it snowed, and the snow muffed sounds and made the air clear.
The special form of silence and the crystal-clear air made Ishibashi realize and understand things he did not comprehend before.
Perhaps it is an exaggeration, but most of the information our mind receives in winter is affected by the presence of snow.
I feel that our senses are made sharper when unnecessary information is filtered out by the totality of snow.
In winter in Tokyo, the city is decorated with lights and Christmas carols are played in the streets, and just by walking around, we are constantly bombarded with unnecessary information...
Personally, I genuinely feel the aesthetic sense of "wabi-sabi" in this season's collection, such as "something important that is left over after elimination" and "something simple but luxurious".
As I write this, I realize that this is in line with KUON's fundamental design concept. That is why the minimal design of the Kimono Collar Shirt fits in so well with this season's collection.
Blend of Japanese and Western aesthetics
Kimono Collar Shirt
Color: Black, Olive
Restocked black and a new color, olive.
The collar is kimono-like but subtle and somewhat Westernised, and composed of curvilinear cuts.
The back of the collar is designed not to touch the neck better to express a kimono-like look.
This is not just a "Japanese-inspired Western-style clothing" that traces the surface of the garment, but a "blend of Japanese and Western styles" made possible by the designer's understanding of pattern both Japanese and Western clothing.
As is often said, the designer's aesthetic sense and experience are packed in the minimalistic design.
I think that perhaps this style will continue to be updated and become a classic of KUON.
Style Samples
*160cm, wearing a Large
She is wearing a size L, which is two sizes larger than her regular size, as if it were a jacket.
The size and the openness of the collar give it a relaxed feel, but thanks to the elegant luster of the high-density plain weave cotton fabric, it does not look sloppy.
*175cm, wearing a Large
On the other hand, I am wearing my size. Olive might look too military, so should I wear it with all the front buttons closed so that the uniqueness of the collar stands out? Would olive with denim be a little too rugged, or what would the color of the T-shirt visible through the V-shape be...?
I've thought about all of these things, but I hope you'll enjoy it as you wish, simply and without any unnecessary thoughts.
Thank you!
The item introduced in this article: Kimono Collar Shirt
