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Ichiroya Kimono Flea Market

In the light of the Japanese disaster, I thought it appropriate to feature the work of a Japanese designer, or in this case, a Japanese company. There is little we are able to do from this distance, other than watch and wait in horror, donate to charities involved in the relief effort, and support those we know living there through our words and our actions.  One thing we are able to do however, is to invest in the Japanese economy and in Japanese businesses, which will help play a vital, if small role in their recovery from this devastation. So, despite the fact that this post is not about a designer, nor an eco fashion label, Ichiroya Kimono Flea Market, are never the less valuing tradition, heritage and craft through recycling and revaluing vintage Japanese kimonos.

I have been the grateful recipient of Ichiroya Kimono Flea Market’s email news letters for sometime, lovely roving poetic musings, interweaving culture and daily life in Osaka, along with updates on the kimono’s they have collected and make available for resale.  With information on how to tie an obi, or the history behind a particular kimono design or detail, new book reviews and information on kimono care, their newsletters are a small insight into their world.  The website honors the craftsmanship of Japanese artisans, by conveying the charm and individuality of each of the Kimono’s they collect, while connecting collectors to their extensive archive, and presenting and selling Japanese textiles, antiques and hand crafted items.  With more than 10,000 items for sale, they carry the largest stocks of vintage kimonos anywhere on the Internet.  Their kimono stocks are subdivided into type, such as Uchikake – a type of wedding coat, Furisode  – a particularly fancy style of kimono, men’s, and children’s kimonos, as well as obi’s, textile lengths, purses and tabi.  Carrying an endless array of simply beautiful kimonos for the casual admirer and buyer, along with serious collectors items, Ichiorya Kimono Flea Market take the utmost care to show every detail of every item, including rips, tares and damages.

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Staffed by Hisami, Kayo, Mami, Michiko, Yuka and Ichiro, they all jointly run the company.  Yuka, the mother of two teenage daughters, regularly interweaves her thoughts and experiences into her emails, giving an intimate insight into her life, and bridging the world of tradition and that of a modern woman.  Often referencing her daughters, one of whom plays the electric guitar in a band, and the connections between her daughter’s world and hers through her work with traditional kimonos. Ichiro is the only male in this female dominated world, and is the founder of the Ichiroya Kimono flea Market and the online store.  Michiko, Ichiro’s mother, has been sewing kimonos for over fifty years, and harbors a vast knowledge of textiles and kimonos, a skilled mender, she brings life to damaged and old kimonos for her customers.  Kayo, who used to live in the UK, writes the emails, while Yoko, who took kimono-dressing lessons, likes to dress up as a Geisha and post the photos.

There is a wonderful playful, almost childlike quality to the roving emails, as well as to the website. The sheer joy of sharing their knowledge and their finds with those that are interested, permeates their every contact and posting. The website features wonderful informational videos on how to wear a kimono, along with all the accessories needed to dress and wear one properly, and conversations with Mr. Marshal san, one of their special customers and a professional katazome dyer with a rich knowledge of Japanese textiles.  They have a wealth of information on how to wear a kimono, how they are sized, the differences between them, and meanings and history of the designs, and also feature a glossary of terminology.  This is a delightful site, with an awe inspiring array of kimonos for sale, so whether you are a casual admirer or a true collector of traditional Japanese kimonos, perhaps this is the time to exercise your interest, while simultaneously investing in the recovery of the Japanese economy.

Website: www.ichiroya.com/