Today we made three new handbags from juxtaposition tie dyeing Haori coat. Our choice of textile is black women's Haori which has been worn in after WWII (around 1960). I assume she might be a women who had good taste in fashion. We have been considering how to upcycle this vintage coat by efficient way and came up with the idea to make three handbags from single over coat.
Kimono as well as any clothes were very valuable in former times. Kimono was reformed when it was worn out and then the people reuse it for Haori coat or Kimono Slip. If it was still completely used after first reform, Kimono was transformed to Zabuton pillow, Otedama(toy) or duster etc. People never throw it away easily by single use. When we upcycle Kimono, we use the part of original textiles which can be still used and we always take into consideration that we use everything with zero waste just as our ancestor did.
For three new handbags, we made them in different shapes and use single handle for each bag. Handle has very soft texture with tie dyeing material and the handle is wrapped with the same textile as bag's main body. (Tomonuno)
– 01 –
"Kaiko Bukuro" from juxtaposition tie dyeing Haori coat
To utilize the Kimono textile with zero waste, we put the Japanese dressmaking skill to make the "Kaiko Bukuro" handbag. It is said that original form of the bag has been constructed in Edo period and people cherished the good old days in that time. The bag is now called "Kaiko (Remembering) Bukuro (Bag)". The triangle shape is cut off from the Kimono and we can use the full Kimono textile without making any waste pieces as long as we keep using the triangle pieces on the square shaped Kimono textile.
The handle is made into braid and soft rounded. The bag has very simple body form with triangle compile of Kimono pieces. But it looks very sophisticated because there is no additional decoration on it. It's made from 100% Haori coat. The bag fits your arm and shoulder very gently. Japanese special dressmaking skill is fully brought in and the bag fits any outfit as usual.
– 02 –
Juxtaposition tie dyeing handbag with black depth
The hand bag is a little smaller than Kaiko Bukuro above. The handle of this bag is cored and wrapped with the same textile as main body. The length and width of the handle is just fit for your palm. Black mourning dress is used as the liner. The same textile is used for the depth of the handbag. The big difference from Kaiko Bukuro is that we have to draw the pattern of the bag and cut off the cloth along when we make something by western dressmaking skill. It means, we have some waste pieces while Kaiko Bukuro has no waste.
– 03 –
Boat shaped handbag from juxtaposition tie dyeing Haori
Third handbag is the smallest and has the boat bottom shape. The handle is light and wrapped with the same textile (Tomonuno). The handle is also removable. You can use your shoulder strap for example.
The people of the past reused the Kimono by reforming Zabuton pillow or duster. They literally worn out the valuable Kimono until the textile finally finished its purpose. There used to be "use up" culture in the past. We really would like to value that philosophy together with many memories of people through the upcycling.