Faburiq In Art Basel Miami 2016

Faburiq was honored and thrilled to be part of Art Basel Miami 2016, in collaboration with Suntory Whisky Toki and Japanese artist and designer, Jay Shogo.

Using only Sharpie permanent markers, and 20 to 100 Sharpies per painting, Jay's art can be seen at “5POINTZ” in New York City, “Wynwood Walls” in Miami, and various locations across Tokyo.

Faburiq's pocket squares were carefully selected and curated for over a period of 2 months before the final pieces were determined for the artist to do a unique painting over. The artwork was then framed and displayed at Toki's event in Art Basel. In the spirit of the sterling and iconic whisky brand, the display was very Toki driven. Toki means "time" in Japanese and the vision is about old traditional luxury meeting the new and modern luxury.

As a men's clothing brand, we are proud to not only represent gentlemen's haberdashery but that the accessories we make are indeed wearable pieces of art. Needless to say, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be included in this elegant display that embodies timeless fashion, inspiring art, and an appreciation for tradition and history.

Photos by TOKI & Jay Shogo

Author: Aruña Chong Quiroga

和柄: Wagara

Wagara literally means Japanese patterns or design. These patterns were created by combining elements of painting and Chinese calligraphy in the Heian Period (795-1185). To this day, there are patterns that are still being created for Wagara. It is a design found only in Japan and is very traditional.

There are ten common and basic Wagara designs. Seigaiha (青海波), which is a big wave of the blue ocean; Tatewaku (立涌); Kikkou (亀甲), which is the shell of a turtle, and is a common design representing the intellect and bliss throughout China and Korea; Kagome (籠目); Hishi (菱); Sankuzushi (三崩し); Ten (点); Shima (縞); Uroko (鱗), which is a mixture of equilateral or isosceles triangles; and Ichimatu (市松). Additional designs include Kacho-huugetu (花鳥風月) and Huujin-raijin (風神雷神). We decided to use the Seigaiha (青海波) pattern for Faburiq's packaging.

Today’s designers make new Wagara by mixing contemporary patterns with old ones. For example, patterns that resemble nature such as seasonal flowers, pine, bamboo, plum, cherry blossoms, running water, moon, waves, mountains, plants, and creatures like the butterfly, goldfish, crane, and rabbit, are used. There are also some patterns that originate from Sanskrit characters.

In the past, the Japanese wore kimono as a form of casual wear. But of late, they no longer wear the kimono, only for formal and special occasions. The kimono industry and makers begin to decline and to bring back it's appeal, they started making other products that incorporated traditional Japanese designs such as bags, pouches, and clothes. The perception of Wagara has since evolved and has notably improved. It was once considered to be old-fashioned but now it is considered unique and elegant. Faburiq strives to retain a lost art that originated from ancient traditions while keeping the need to create modern, wearable and classic designs.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

絞 : Shibori

The word Shibori comes from the Japanese verb root “shiboru” meaning, “to wring, squeeze, press”.

Shibori a traditional Japanese resist-dyeing technique that has been around longer than any other fabric dyeing method. It was most popular in the early Edo period when lower class people were forbidden from wearing silk. The pattern is made by binding, stitching, folding, twisting, compressing, dyeing, and then releasing the binding pressure to reveal the pattern. Each method that is used is done with harmony with the type of cloth to create beautiful surface designs. Commonly mistaken for tie-dye in the West, the original Shibori techniques were ancestral, handed down exclusively within Japanese artisan families. There are six major known Shibori techniques: Kanoko, Miura, Kumo, Nui, Arashi and Itajime. Faburiq's accessories are made from fabrics that utilize the Kanoko and Miura techniques.

Kanoko Shibori, the most popular variation of the Shibori technique and the closest to the Western Tie-Dye version, involves tying cloth to achieve the desired pattern. Each individual knot is hand-tied, creating small variations in the shapes, and is carefully released by the artisan one at a time. Most common are circular shapes achieved with this technique. Sometimes the circles are places in an irregular fashion to create an image, or more frequently, the fabric is folded into layers to create a repeating pattern. This is a time-consuming, painstaking process with beautiful, monochromatic results.

Miura is a technique that involves looping and binding. A hook and needle is used to pluck sections of the cloth and a thread is looped around each section twice, the released pattern resembles water ripples. The final pattern depends on how tightly you bind the fabric and where it is bound, making each pattern unique in itself. This is the easiest of all Shibori techniques and most commonly used.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Faburiq is now available at STIL NOW on Newbury Street!

Faburiq's pocket squares are now available at STIL NOW's pop up store this November and December 2014! Serving both Men's and Women's fashion needs, kick start your holiday shopping with some serious style and get a square at 304 Newbury Street in Boston!

Author: Aruña Quiroga

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