Today, the consumption of both material goods and even our inner well-being has become fast and taken for granted. When developing this work, I began with a deep concern about the waste problem in the apparel industry.

Just as people once believed in the countless kami*—the spirits or deities said to dwell within nature and all living things—I believe that garments, too, hold an invisible spirit. I turned to the kimono—long embedded with cultural meaning—as a design reference, seeking to rediscover values that have faded and to bring forth a moment of reflection on consumption through clothing.

I began by speaking directly with people close to me and collecting kimonos forgotten in their homes or destined to be discarded. From these, I created a new textile: the weft is torn from kimono fabric, while the warp is made from natural fibers. Rather than dyeing, each thread is crossed and knotted individually by hand, each carrying a wish—echoing the Japanese ritual of tying omikuji (fortune slips) to trees or ropes as a prayer to the gods.

The fabric is woven to kimono width and assembled without cutting, ensuring zero waste. The garment softens and becomes more complete as it is worn—growing together with its wearer. Through this process, I express the connection between physical form and the intangible thoughts and hopes that inhabit clothing.

Musuhi, both as a garment and a concept, aims to embody the spirit of creation itself, to invite reflection on consumption, and to exist as a new shared language that carries its meaning outward into the world. My hope is that it will spark dialogue and inspire new value, and that wearing Musuhi becomes one small yet meaningful step towards that future.

Note: Koshintō refers to the indigenous Shinto beliefs and rituals practiced in Japan before the introduction of Buddhism and Confucianism.

　　Material: Kimono to be discarded, 100% cotton thread

　　Supported by: saaya, Nobuko Terauchi, Seiko Yasumoto, Junko Umemiya

　　Photography by YASUNARI KIKUMA / ©︎ FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM 

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