MIZEN BLUE "Win" SHO Ishige Yuki Tsumugi × ARLNATA
MIZEN is a project to build a luxury brand that puts artisans who practice traditional Japanese techniques at the forefront, under the theme of "Bringing the everyday life of the hometown to the luxury of the next generation."
By designing traditional Japanese techniques in a way that suits modern lifestyles and proposing them to people not only in Japan but all over the world, we aim to improve the status of highly skilled artisans and increase the sustainability of the industry.
In October 2023, MIZEN will produce a collaboration between Ishige Yuki Tsumugi, a local craft of Ibaraki Prefecture, and ARLNATA , a former Hermès designer who tailors clothes from bolts of high-quality tsumugi and other fabrics.
We will also be presenting clothing made using the original pattern created for the project, Ishige Yuki Tsumugi MIZEN BLUE "Katsu" ~SHO~ "Vertical Kasuri Arrow Feather Pattern."
Message from Mr. Noriyuki Okuzawa, President of Okujun Co., Ltd.
About Ishige Yuki Tsumugi's original patterns
The first thing that came to mind was that since ancient times, there has been a custom of using auspicious patterns on Japanese clothing to express wishes, so I thought that a pattern expressed in Japanese clothing would be perfect. For example, the Shippo pattern represents ties, the pine tree is a symbol of immortality, and pine needles represent marital harmony.
So Okujun of Yuki Tsumugi suggested the arrow feather pattern. Arrow feathers are used for hamaya (meaning to ward off evil spirits), so they are sold at shrines and temples as a lucky charm for the New Year. Arrows fly straight and do not return after they are shot, so the pattern itself is said to have the strength to move forward toward the target without turning back until it hits the target. For women, it also became a lucky charm for marriage, as it means "never to return". From this, it became a pattern symbolizing unmarried women. This is also why it is often seen in the design of graduation hakama. Arrows also represent the wish for boys to grow up healthy and strong, so some kimonos celebrating the Boys' Festival feature bows and arrows and yagasuri patterns.
One color that goes well with navy blue is amber. Amber is a transparent yellow-brown color. By adding this color, the navy blue and amber colors stand out. Also, by adding a similar color, blue, with a hint of purple, the sense of speed as the arrow cuts through the air and moves forward is expressed.
Ishige Yuki Tsumugi
About Ishige Yuki Tsumugi
Ishige Yuki Tsumugi is produced in the same region as Honba Yuki Tsumugi, Japan's finest silk fabric. Its distinctive feature is that it has been successfully woven with improved work efficiency, while retaining the soft silk floss thread's characteristics of being light, warm, and comfortable to wear. However, the 40-plus steps of the process are still carried out by skilled craftsmen, and the cloth is carefully woven using power that is as close to hand-made as possible, resulting in a warm fabric. By streamlining the techniques, the price has been kept down, making it an affordable Yuki Tsumugi that is loved by many people.
