After graduated from a fashion design school
I worked in the fashion industry in Tokyo for 8 years
And I felt harder and harder if I do fashion in order to pursue fashion
In the mid-1970s
I took a trip to India
Where I saw women did all kinds of farm work in beautiful saris
They wore saris even on road construction sites
Which surprised me a lot
People just wrapped fabrics on their bodies and created various types of clothes
It prompted me to study
How clothes in life should be
I continued working for a period of time after returning from India
And then got married and pregnant
My husband was a graphic designer at that time
I told him I wanted to quit my job
And he resigned as well
When we were considering where to live with our kid
We thought of the seaside town Hayama where one of our friends lived
The atmosphere here was free
And 30 years ago you could hardly see houses here
The yard was like a small forest
So we settled down here
I launched my own studio and opened my own shop
My husband even had his own paddy fields
When we come to our mind
We find we’re living the life we’ve been dreaming before we even realize
At the beginning I did everything all by myself
From making pattern to sewing buttons on
Two of my friends would visit and offer some help
The garments are usually released in exhibitions at galleries all across Japan
Generally I start with finding cloth
And then choose the best design for the specific cloth, which is full of fun
Every cloth touches differently
And the wrinkles are not the same either
Each is unique
I use handmade fabrics from all cross Asia
Including those from independent fabric designers
I find several masters from all parts of Japan
They make threads and fabrics all by themselves
Spinning by hands is very time-consuming
So there are less and less people who’re willing to devote themselves to the industry
For example now we’re making fall and winter collections
Natural materials like wool, cotton and linen are often used
Recently I receive a cloth weaved from lotus fibers in Myanmar
It’s made by a monk of Myanmar
It has special wrinkles and weight
So plant fibers are very interesting
Hand-weaved cloth always has a unique airy feeling
That attracts me a lot
I watch those masters dye
And also do some research
There’s a reason behind each type of dye
Like indigo dye and dye made from local plants
Basically the dyes are all extracted from medical herbs
In ancient times, people wrapped indigo-dyed clothes on wounds
To facilitate healing
While working in fields, people wore indigo-dyed underwear
To prevent snaking biting
Because the herbs in the clothes would infiltrate into skin
So eventually my focus
Is to help people maintain healthy
And become more energetic through clothes
I’ve been designing clothes for artists
And do stylings
The fabrics are refined and special enough on their own
So I don’t make too many cuts
We always find the way that highlights the cloth’s character the most
While trying samples
And the artist just puts on it and steps onto the stage
Without any constraint
I seldom design men’s wear
Basically only for my husband
He loves the clothes I make for him
Although I have a husband and a kid
Still as a woman I think the most important thing is independence
For me spiritual independence is totally different from economic independence
Instead of being needy
You should keep your own views and value
Even in family life
In this chaotic age, how can we follow our heart
And find our own way of living
It’s a difficult question which would take a lot of practices to answer