ABOUT

Sasanqua transforms silk kimonos, a traditional Japanese art form, into neckties and bow ties.

The way people dress in Japan changed with westernization that started in the Meiji era and progressed throughout the subsequent eras of Taisho and Showa. By now, the kimono’s role as everyday clothing has pretty much ended.

Even though kimonos are no longer considered daily outfits, they are far from obsolete. We think we can breathe new life into the kimono by resurrecting the beautiful fabric.

Kimonos are made by simply sewing together rectangular fabrics called tanmono, which are about 37 centimeters wide. The simplicity of form comes from the necessity to disassemble, wash and reuse precious fabrics. While kimonos are rather homogenous in terms of form, the fabrics are rich in variety.

Kimono fabrics, woven from delicate threads spun by silkworms, are carefully decorated with conceptual motifs, some of which are hand-painted and hand-embroidered. The process of making kimono fabrics involving silkworm farmers, weavers, and painters is an art form, and many of the vintage fabrics still look “contemporary” today.

Thanks to the established maintenance method and the custom of handing down kimonos from generation to generation, we can still obtain beautiful fabrics made decades or even a century ago, from the Taisho era to early Showa, before WWII. While going through the process of caring and cleaning, many of these fabrics have acquired unique qualities (such as softness and smoothness) that brand new materials don’t have.

We aim to transform classic kimono fabrics into items that match the lifestyle of our times, reintegrating them into everyday outfits once again.