Hi, this is Shohei.
Ai-zome(Indigo dyeing), Doro-zome(mud dyeing), and Sumi-zome(charcoal-dyeing) are natural dyeing by craftsmen what are inseparable from KUON.
I am attracted by the individuality of each of them, and of course, I love to use them myself.
The word "love" really fits the item perfectly, and the natural dyeing that changes its expression over the years makes me feel attached to it, I never get tired of it, and I never want to part with it.
I like to wear indigo-dyed shirts that feel 'cool' in Spring and Summer,
In fall and winter, there is a natural opportunity to select a 'warm' mud-dyed hoodie from my closet.
This Sumi-zome anorak and pants were the first items I got from KUON (Mr. Fujiwara gave them to me), and the pants in particular are still my first choice, although the fabric is worn out and faded since I wear them all year round.
I can't rank indigo dyeing, mud dyeing, or sumi-dyeing as my favorite, but since I'm introducing sumi-zome items, I'm going to favor sumi-zome this time.
Yoshino Plaid
Before introducing products themselves, I would like to write about why we made Yoshino Plaid products this time.
Yoshino Plaid is back for the first time in a long time after the Fall/Winter 2020 collection.
Many of you may be wondering, "Why Yoshino Plaid here?"
Yoshino Plaid is a traditional Japanese pattern, and it has a certain KUON feel to it. There is no doubt about that.
However, what led us to re-produce Yoshino Plaid was an ordinary scene in our daily lives.
*Stair to our office&studio
The upstairs of KUON Flagship Store is our office and studio.
When the designer Ishibashi and I were cleaning out the studio at the time of the season change, we found many toile (pre-production sewing samples in muslin fabric) from the past, and among them was a long-sleeved regular collar shirt with Yoshino Plaid.
The designer and I were talking about how fresh and good it was to see it, and how we wanted to wear it in summer. Then, the short-sleeved shirt, pullover shirt, and pants were produced.
One more topic before writing about the products.
First Sumizome for Summer
*as far as I know...
The Sumi-zome anorak and pants I usually wear are both in herringbone twill fabric, and I really enjoy wearing them as the color fades and the herringbone pattern comes out clearly year by year.
I thought that if the uneven Yoshino Plaid pattern was dyed in Sumi(charcoal), we would be able to enjoy the unevenness of the dyeing and the change in expression much more than in ordinally fabrics. I asked Ishibashi to do Sumi-zome on Yoshino Plaid.
*Dyeing atelier
It's cool, but of all KUON's naturally dyed items, sumi-zome is also the most troublesome, to be honest...
At first, I put my phone in my pocket and my phone turns gray, and the dye transferred to my white T-shirts and my sneakers...We have to be careful about the items we match, and you can't put your phone or earphones in your pockets when the dye is dark.
However, the faded look that comes out after repeated wear and washing is cool only because it is dyed in sumi.
There is an expression in Japanese. "More troublesome the child is, the cuter he/she is. "
I feel that Sumi-zome is is troublesome boy for me.
This is an item that tickles the instincts of clothing lovers and fanatics, and will definitely make you love it. If you are worried about color transfer or something like that, you should not buy this item.
Finally, I can move on to writing about products.
Sumizome x Yoshino Plaid products
Yoshino Plaid Short Sleeve Shirts-SUMIZOME
【Yoshino Plaid Pullover Shirt-SUMIZOME-】
【Yoshino Plaid Trousers-SUMIZOME】
All three styles have been produced in the past, but with minor changes.
Talking about the regular collar shirt,
The shoulder fits more than the previous versions, and the body part is roomier, resulting in a beautiful A-shape.
Pullover shirt is,
made to be a bit shorter in the length and shoulder width. On the other hand sleeves are made a bit longer to be looked smarter.
The trousers are,
made with the same pattern of the past "pajama pants". We intended to use the same pattern to be looked smarter with shrunk after the dyeing process.
The three models are not made exactly as they were in the past, but have been updated to match current moods and trends by changing a few centimeters or millimeters.
The fine-tuning is such that "it's fine if people who notice it notice it."
Clothes are made of cloth, so these are minor modifications that can be stretched and changed if pulled. Such trivial changes can make a surprisingly large difference in the impression you get when you wear the clothes.
Even if the clothes look the same shape or numerically the same, please try them on for yourself. You will feel the designer's delicate sense of beauty.
Thank you!
<Products in this article>
Yoshino Plaid Short Sleeve Shirts-Sumizome-
Yoshino Plaid Pullover Shirt-Sumizome-
Yoshino Plaid Trousers-Sumizome-
