Vol. 1

What fascinates me most is the beauty of the textile, so the shape doesn't matter.

When I encountered kimonos from ancient times, I first noticed the appeal of modern designs that are not found in modern times.

■First of all, when did you first encounter kimono, and what was the occasion?

Koderazawa: "First of all, it was Kimosato . I myself am not someone who wears kimonos on a regular basis. In fact, since my Coming of Age Ceremony, the only time I've worn a kimono was at my brother's wedding.
The organizer of Kimosato held an event called Take no Wa . The concept was "enjoying Japanese culture." We would all go see Kabuki or listen to Rakugo. In the summer, we would say things like, "If we're going to see Kabuki, let's wear yukatas." That sort of thing.
From there, I started going kimono shopping and learning how to wear them. That was my first encounter with Japanese culture. Then the organizers decided to start looking for kimono adopters.

■That's Kimosato .

"As a company ( UZ Corporation) we were supporting Takenowa, so we thought it was a good initiative. By helping out with Kimosato , I got to experience kimonos in earnest.

Kimosato has a huge selection of vintage kimonos on display, all with incredibly beautiful designs. I hadn't seen that many kimonos before, and even when I did, they were all new items in the kimono section, so I was amazed at how good old kimonos are. Trends change completely depending on the era. There are lots of very modern and beautiful patterns. I learned that for the first time.

Nowadays, the occasions when people wear kimonos are probably tea ceremonies, weddings, or other occasions that are a little removed from everyday life. But when I found out how beautiful and modern they are, I thought I'd like to wear one myself. I love Johnny's (laughs), so I thought I'd like to wear a kimono and go see Takizawa Kabuki.

■ (laughs)

"I actually bought a kimono at Kimosato and tried it on, but it was so much hassle (laughs). I couldn't put it on myself, so I had to get a kimono dresser to come to my house, help me put it on, and then I could go out.

People who are used to wearing kimonos say things like, "You'll understand once you start wearing it," or "It's not difficult," but I don't wear kimonos on a daily basis. I don't have the motivation to go and learn how to wear one. I only wear it occasionally, so I think I might as well pay someone to help me."

■It's true that dressing in a kimono is a difficult task.

"There are so many beautiful kimonos out there, and I would love to try one on, but I just can't seem to get over that hurdle.

And although Kimosato works hard to find foster parents for the kimonos, there are always some left over. There are kimonos that can't find foster parents. It could be because of size issues, stains or dirt. Some kimonos end up being thrown away. But I think that's the origin of UZ Fabric .

If there are stains or dirt, just cut them off (laughs). If the size is too small, just change the shape. That's how it all started. I wasn't interested in the weaving or dyeing of kimonos, but rather in the beauty and fun of textiles. So the shape didn't matter. I thought it would be a shame to throw away the design and beauty of the fabric."

■That's why the brand name includes the word "fabric."

"That's right. The design of the fabric, the pattern. The fabric itself, or rather. It didn't matter what form it was transformed into. It didn't have to be clothing. The most important thing was to use kimonos to remake them into something new, to give them a new life. It would be a shame to throw them away, so I wanted to preserve them even if they were in a different form. As long as they could be preserved, any form would be fine."

■I was a little surprised to hear that it doesn't have to be clothing. When I look at the dresses and haori jackets that are UZ Fabric 's signature products today, I was convinced that they had started out as a fashion brand, given the high level of perfection in their designs.

"It was simply born from thinking about what form a kimono could take. That being said, kimonos are originally meant to be worn, so the idea of ​​a one-piece dress first came from the idea of ​​'what can I make that I can wear, even if I can't put it on?'"