LaLa Land Dispatch:
Japanese Denim Showcase – Part II
DenimTech Laundry - Vernon, CA – Part II in my coverage of the Japanese Denim Showcase that took place September 30th - October 2nd at DenimTech. For Part I, featuring Kaihara denim, scroll down or click here.
After meeting with Kaihara, perusing their fantastic collection, and taking up way too much of Nakano-San’s time, I was ushered over to visit with the team from Nihon Menpu. This is probably my favorite textile mill on the face of the planet and I consider it a true honor to witness their creations. They are true artisans. It’s a small operation in Okayama prefecture that began in 1917 and is keeping the indigenous, handcrafted techniques and aesthetics of Japanese textiles alive. Much of their fabrics are custom designed and made for my favorite Japanese brands like Kapital, 45Rpm, and Hollywood Ranch Market. For all the Sugar Cane fans out there, 95% of the Sugar Cane fabrics are made on Nihon Menpu looms. When I visited Japan with Suzuki-San I had the pleasure of visiting this mill and seeing all their old selvage looms and machinery. Truly a privelege!
Nihon Menpu had several racks overflowing with fabric headers and a table showcasing some of the latest and greatest items. Having been to the mill and visited them at the last Japanese Fabric showcase, I had seen much of their selection before. However, with such a bounty of gorgeous fabrics, each one more intensely beautiful than the next, I always feel like a kid in a candy store looking through their line. They are masters of beautiful selvage fabrics, especially when it comes to heavier weights, loose and irregular weaves, neppy surfaces, and natural dye stuffs. They also offer wide goods that are just as rich and full of character as their selvages. From the below brochure, you can see the products they are known for and continue to market:
With fabrics like these… the quality speaks for itself.
My pictures surely don’t do these textiles justice. If you have a chance to see them and especially if you can afford to use their fabrics in your line… definitely seek them out. A few more random snaps of more unique items....
After drooling over sample after sample of indigo artistry and lamenting that I can’t use any of their fabrics…. I bid a fond farewell and sayonara until next time.
Japanese Denim Showcase – Part II
DenimTech Laundry - Vernon, CA – Part II in my coverage of the Japanese Denim Showcase that took place September 30th - October 2nd at DenimTech. For Part I, featuring Kaihara denim, scroll down or click here.
After meeting with Kaihara, perusing their fantastic collection, and taking up way too much of Nakano-San’s time, I was ushered over to visit with the team from Nihon Menpu. This is probably my favorite textile mill on the face of the planet and I consider it a true honor to witness their creations. They are true artisans. It’s a small operation in Okayama prefecture that began in 1917 and is keeping the indigenous, handcrafted techniques and aesthetics of Japanese textiles alive. Much of their fabrics are custom designed and made for my favorite Japanese brands like Kapital, 45Rpm, and Hollywood Ranch Market. For all the Sugar Cane fans out there, 95% of the Sugar Cane fabrics are made on Nihon Menpu looms. When I visited Japan with Suzuki-San I had the pleasure of visiting this mill and seeing all their old selvage looms and machinery. Truly a privelege!
Super narrow selvage wallet (also works great as an Iphone caddy!)
Nihon Menpu had several racks overflowing with fabric headers and a table showcasing some of the latest and greatest items. Having been to the mill and visited them at the last Japanese Fabric showcase, I had seen much of their selection before. However, with such a bounty of gorgeous fabrics, each one more intensely beautiful than the next, I always feel like a kid in a candy store looking through their line. They are masters of beautiful selvage fabrics, especially when it comes to heavier weights, loose and irregular weaves, neppy surfaces, and natural dye stuffs. They also offer wide goods that are just as rich and full of character as their selvages. From the below brochure, you can see the products they are known for and continue to market:
With fabrics like these… the quality speaks for itself.
Raw Japanese goodness (not sashimi)
Gorgeous selvages, note the subtle neps
More beautiful neppiness
Green cast indigos.. looks similar to the special Kapital denim
A bit of washed down denim with subtle variance in warp yarn shades...
My pictures surely don’t do these textiles justice. If you have a chance to see them and especially if you can afford to use their fabrics in your line… definitely seek them out. A few more random snaps of more unique items....
Colored denims, Hick'ry stripe, novelties...
I think I spied this at Okura, in Daikanyama, on an indigo robe a while back...
After drooling over sample after sample of indigo artistry and lamenting that I can’t use any of their fabrics…. I bid a fond farewell and sayonara until next time.
posted by Kairo at 6:20:00 PM
3 Comments:
Thank you for information in Japan Style I like
Evisu
I think that these news about these people,After meeting with kaihara,is a great information and I used to read about this information, so Thanks for share
hmmm why is that I always come to read a post and I later find that I am reading the second or third part and not the first one?? well anyway I'll read the first one!
Post a Comment
<< Home