We got still some bamboo handles left at the atelier and we've been thinking what the next item should be...then we found some vintage Kimonos.
We washed and cut some Meisen Kimono which was very popular women's cloth from around 1912 to 1972. Just like as other Kimono which I owen, the Kimono from this era had very bold pattern and colorful plain weave. It represents somehow the cheerful women in that time. Some pattern in Kimono is very classic but timeless. I would use the upcycled handbag from these Kimono, but I'm not sure if I could dress the original Kimono with such bold pattern perfectly. Chapeau to people in that time...
These bamboo handle bag are made with Japanese sewing method "Yotsunui". Means bundle four pieces and stitch them at once. It makes the steam more solid. As you may see in the picture the finished size of each handbag is a little bit different. We picked up only undamaged parts of Kimono which is reusable for the handbag, but sometimes only small pieces can be available because of aged deterioration. But it is the beauty of upcycling. The size of bags are around 32 cm x 30 cm and very suitable for the daily use.
This Kimono has very unique style with combination of checked "Ichimatsu" pattern and the flower. There is a straight blue line in the middle and makes the Kimono asymmetric. At the same time, it has very classic look. I really like this Kimono.
With the red stripe, the Bag from Meisen Kimono completes your style perfectly. You may think it's very bold if you pick up the red bag ? No, the pinstripes make rather casual impression and suits perfect for the active women who love fashion.
The yellow flower is designed on the checked woven fabric. The beautiful pattern cares about the detail.
