銘仙絣: Meisen-Gasuri

Meisen silk is woven from pre-dyed silk threads (Ikat technique) and is the densest type of Ikat fabric in the world. Meisen is a moderately lightweight silk weave with a hard, smooth touch. The average person on the street in Japan will recognize meisen as what we call ikat. However, meisen may also be a solid color fabric, or woven entirely with undyed, unbleached yarns. So actually, meisen is the weave and kasuri is the dye method. Commencing production around 1868, Meisen silk became hugely popular in the 1920s/30s amongst fashionable Japanese women for everyday wear. Heavily influenced by European painters and art deco style, Meisen silk exhibits striking, bold and geometric prints that reflect the heyday of its production. Meisen ceased major production in the 1960s. 

To make meisen fabric, threads are first loosely woven and then dyed using stencils. The warp or the weft threads may be discarded at this point and new ones woven in to create the initial patterns. An alternative method is to stretch the threads as if they were woven, and then tightly bind the design areas before immersing the fabric in dye. The bound areas resist the dye, and when woven, this results in a design with rough edges because the threads are not evenly aligned. After the fabric is woven, additional hand painting, dying or embroidery is completed before assembling the kimono.

Today, Meisen is woven in the general region of Chichibu and Isezaki using yarns called tama-ito (a thick, seasonal raw silk) and noshi-ito (silk thrums) to weave a very strong, thick cloth used in every-day clothes. Centers of production are to be found in Kyoto, Isezaki, Chichibu, Ashikaga, Kiryuu, and Hachiouji. Although production of fabrics with Meisen style weaving has dwindled, what is left is a testament to the continuing dedication to craft and tradition alongside the rise of machine manufacturing.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

絣: Kasuri

The word “kasuri” originated from the Malay/Indonesian language meaning “bind” or “tie.” Kasuri textile production began in the Ryukyu Kingdom (now Okinawa). The Ryukyu Kingdom began producing bashofu kasuri textiles in the 1300s for export to China, Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan. Now, the representative types of kasuri made in Japan are in Hingo-kasuri in Hiroshima, Iyo-kasuri in Ehime, and Kurume-kasuri in Fukuoka.

The distinctive feature of kasuri textiles is a technique that twines and dyes vertical threads and horizontal ones together to create patterns, designs or images in the material. Kasuri patterns have distinctive fuzzy edges and look as if they were splashed onto the fabric. Because the individual threads are dyed versus printed on one side of the fabric, the design which is woven into the fabric allows it to appear on both sides of the fabric.

All of Faburiq's cotton pocket squares are made from Kasuri textiles.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Faburiq is Obsessed with Fabrics!

               Everything comes back to Fabrics

What inspired the birth of Faburiq? It was the fabrics and the textiles that I found over time through my travels. But Japanese textiles made a lasting impression on me. The craftspeople that made these textiles have dedicated their lives to perfecting the art of textile weaving using the same looms and techniques for generations. These methods are found nowhere else in the world. But, interest, demand and appreciation for these types of fabrics are fading in Japan and within our generation.

Faburiq lives by the values of Mottainai - that the old can be made new and everything can be given life again. Mottainai is an old Buddhist word, which has ties with the Shinto idea that "objects have souls within them".  Mottainai is a tradition very much alive in the Japanese "cultural DNA" today, which has evolved into an international concept.

Fabrics aren't just the materials we use; it is what inspires us to create. Faburiq only works with select collectors of antique and vintage fabrics in Japan, who share a passion for textiles that are made with integrity and purpose. From the fabric to the ribbon that hems your precious square, to the paper that wraps your package, everything is made with the utmost care and nothing is wasted. Every bit of fabric is saved, crafted and given a chance to be part of your life.

On my next blog post, you'll learn more about the types of Japanese fabrics and the techniques involved in their making. Stay tuned!

Author: Aruña Quiroga

         Indigo Shibori at a Japanese textile workshop

                                    Sashiko Stitching

The Origins of the Kimono

The kimono is a simple garment with a complex history that has been shaped by the evolution of weaving, dyeing, and embroidery techniques as well as cultural changes in Japan. The kimono's form was first introduced from China as an undergarment. Its use as a normal form of dress for men and women dates back from the Muromachi period (1392–1568). Meaning 'the thing worn', the term kimono was first adopted in the mid-19th century. Prior to that, the garment was known as a kosode, which means 'small sleeve', a reference to the opening at the wrist. Originally worn by commoners, or as an undergarment by the aristocracy, from the 16th century the kosode, or kimono, had become the principal item of dress for all classes and both sexes. It is still today, an enduring symbol of traditional Japanese culture. In kimono dress, it is the pattern on the surface, rather than the cut of the garment, that holds significance. Indications of social status, personal identity and cultural sensitivity are expressed through color and decoration.

                                                           Kosode circa 1610

The Edo period (1615–1868) was one of unprecedented political stability, economic growth, and urban expansion in Japan. Women's kimonos became very decorative from the middle of the Edo period in spite of bans on luxurious living imposed by the Tokugawa shogunate, the rulers of Japan at the time. The primary consumers of sumptuous kimono were the samurai, the ruling military class. Yet it was the merchant and artisan classes, or chōnin, who benefited most from the peace and prosperity of the period. However, the rigid hierarchy of Tokugawa Japan meant that they could not use their wealth to improve their social status. Instead they had to find different outlets for their money, such as buying beautiful clothes. It was this new market that stimulated the great flowering of the textile arts in the Edo period, what would be considered today as the “fashion industry”. The kimono developed into a highly expressive means of personal display, an important indicator of the rising affluence and aesthetic sensibility of the chōnin. During this period, woodblock-printed pattern books, called hinagatabon, played a crucial role in transmitting the most fashionable designs, just as fashion magazines and catalogues do today.

The modernization of the kimono happened during the Meiji period (1868–1912). In an attempt to place Japan on equal footing with Europe and America, Japanese officials began wearing Western-style clothing. In the late 1880s, even Empress Shōken promoted Western gowns to encourage women to adopt modern modes of dress. The kimono gradually became identified as Japan’s national dress, and at the same time became a highly sought-after fashion item in Europe and the United States, coinciding with the Japonisme craze that inspired many Western artists and designers, notably Vincent van Gogh and other Impressionists. 

The Taishō period (1912–1926) saw great urban growth, particularly in Tokyo. The prosperity and optimism of the period is evident in the colorful and cheerful textile designs, such as a kimono ensemble with brilliant explosions of chrysanthemum blossoms. Although Western-style clothes gained popularity, the kimono continued to be every-day wear. The motifs were dramatically enlarged and new designs appeared, sometimes inspired by Western-style painting. In creating such boldly patterned kimonos, the designers benefited from new types of silk and innovative patterning techniques and the technological advances made during the late 19th century. The kimono became relatively inexpensive and these highly fashionable garments were made available to more people than ever before. These vibrant kimono styles remained popular until the 1950s.

                                                          A Modern Day Geisha

During the Shōwa period (1926–1989), kimono design continued to evolve in response to the artistic and political upheaval at the international level. There were even war propaganda kimonos with unique designs reflecting contemporary politics of the 1930s and 1940s. Over time, kimono makers evolved from nameless artisans to designated Living National Treasures, and the kimono gradually transformed from an item of every-day clothing to an exclusively ceremonial garment.

Kimonos are also known to be rather expensive. If this limits the wearing of them, it also proclaims their high cultural value. Indeed, the garment may be worn much less, but its symbolic importance has grown. As Japan has come to define itself within the western world since the late 19th century, the kimono has come to mark a boundary with the foreign, to stand for the essence that is Japanese. This is reflected in the fact that most contemporary textile designers working with traditional techniques still use the kimono as the primary format for their artistic expression.

              Audrey Hepburn in a Kimono circa 1960

The 21st century, however, has witnessed something of a kimono renaissance. Many eminent fashion designers, both in Japan and the West, creating innovative works inspired by the age-old indigenous garment. Elegant kimono in beautiful modern fabrics can be seen increasingly on the streets of Japan, while second-hand kimono are becoming popular with the young, who often re-style them or combine them with other items of dress. After the Second World War, kimono were often viewed as a product of Japan's feudal past or a symbol of woman's oppression, but today with Japan experiencing a “kimono boom”, they are just another choice in a woman's - and even occasionally a man's - wardrobe. They are an item of fashion, just as they were in their Edo heyday.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Sources: The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom; http://www.vam.ac.uk/, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States; http://www.metmuseum.org/

Stockholm's Got Pocket Square Fever!

Every year, my family and I travel to different parts of the world in search of culture. Here are images from my recent trip to Stockholm and boy oh boy, the Swedish love pocket squares! Gentlemen everywhere were seen adorning them, day and night, and the men's shops were never lack of selection and designs. Check out these playful and delightful ways the Swedes display this trendy accessory!

Pocket squares in a trophy.

All the gentleman's essentials.

On Sale doesn't mean shabby.

Love the versatility of this piece - four pocket squares in one.

LOVE how the pocket square is also used to accent a coat.

Elegantly dressed gentleman whom we had the pleasure of sharing a table with at the Östermalms Saluhall (local Food Market).

Just simply red.

Beautiful fall colors!

Nice BOW touches.

And trousers as well!

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Fall and Winter 2014 Sneak Peek...

The Crane or Tsuru often appearing in Japanese textiles is a symbol of good fortune and longevity due to it's fabled life span of a thousand years. 

The Bamboo symbolizes the strength of one's character. The Bamboo bends and flexes but never breaks. It keeps it's delicate structure during storms and strong winds. Like the bamboo, one must never break or lose your sense of self no matter how the world treats you.

In Japan, white is the color of angels and gods. It is the color of cleanliness and represents reverence, purity, simplicity, humility, youth, winter and snow.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Japanese Inspired

Having always been inspired by Japanese products and in the manner they are produced, this is one item that is a necessity in every person's life - towels. Simple as this item might be, and how easily one can overlook it’s purpose and importance, this is one of my favourite items that I get to use daily. These towels are made by a company established in 1934, Kontex, in Imabari City in the Shikoku region of Japan.

The design and production of these towels are unlike any other I’ve encountered. Using carefully selected cotton variety and fibers from different regions throughout the world and traditional weaving machines that gives weight to texture and softness over efficiency, a simple item has turned into a work of art. The towels are then finished off by being washed in the abundant wellsprings of underground water from the melted snows of Mount Ishizuchi to thoroughly remove the starch and wax without additional impurities becoming attached to the thread.

Like the Kimono, which originated as early as the 5th century AD, the evolution of the fabric itself is rich in history and the fabrics are still frequently hand-made today. The bolt of fabric that a Kimono is made from is an artistic creation touched by the hands of a designer, stitcher, weaver and dyer. Rarely does modern machinery play a significant role in the production of a Kimono fabric. The technical traditions of these artisans have enabled many Kimono fabrics to be recycled due to the quality of their skill. Damaged kimonos can be disassembled and resewn to hide the soiled areas. Historically, skilled craftsmen laboriously picked the silk thread from old kimonos and rewove it into a new textile using a recycling weaving method called saki-ori.

These are the inspirations behind Faburiq. Meticulous craftsmanship, beautifully preserved kimono fabrics reborn into the modern men’s Pocket Square.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

New Patterns