In my last two posts, I wrote about my life in New York during my apprenticeship.
■Memories of my apprenticeship in New York
■During his off-time as an apprentice @NY
Today I would like to write about the textile brand "Maria Kent," which was often used by my mentor, the haute couture designer Robert Dence, during his apprenticeship in New York. The reason is that I will be using it for the first time in a long while in my next project, "Yoshiokubo."
Maria Kent's studio is located in the 17th arrondissement, an upscale residential area in the northwest of Paris. The studio is located near the Seine River, north of the Bois de Boulogne, where the Longchamp racecourse, where the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is held every October, is located. It might be easier to understand if you think of it as being just behind the Arc de Triomphe, a famous tourist spot.
Maria Kent is known for its tweeds made with fancy yarns. These are not the straight yarns that we usually imagine, but rather the shape of the yarn itself is designed, so the surface of fabrics woven with them has a three-dimensional feel and is very distinctive. There are various theories, but it seems that the world-famous tweeds frequently used by Chanel were originally made here.
(Maria Kent's studio exterior and textiles)
Their use of color is simply amazing, and they come up with color combinations that I would never have thought of. The yarn itself is also developed here, so it's no surprise that they can create textiles that are exclusive to this place.
I've visited the atelier three or four times, and I'm always amazed by the textiles here and there that have unique pattern combinations that no one else has ever tried, which is a lot of fun. What's more, even a designer like me is accepted to make special orders.
The atmosphere in the atelier is great, and when you enter the building, you'll see interns weaving samples. It's easy to see why such free-spirited textiles can be created in a place like this. The location and atmosphere are really important, aren't they?
(Photo of the studio)
I first encountered Maria Kent sequin fabric in New York, and I brought it back to Japan and still have it in my office. It's such a beautiful textile. However, it costs over 10,000 yen per meter, so I can't use that much of it. I'll be able to show you some at the next Yoshiokubo show, so please come and see for yourself.
(yoshiokubo Fall/Winter 2016 Paris Fashion Week look using Maria Kent fabrics)
On the other hand, there are actually some great fabric stores in Japan, such as A-GIRLS (Wakayama). You can always feel their spirit of trying to create something that doesn't exist, and they are dedicated to making great cut-and-sew items.
I also like Kawamura Textile (Tokyo), although I haven't done business with them recently. I can tell they are trying to do interesting things.
(Inside Nakaden Kiori's factory)
Nakaden Kiori (Gifu) is a large company with a long history. They are a wonderful textile manufacturer with a wide range of fabrics. Maria Kent in Paris is in a league of its own, but there are many companies in Japan that spin wonderful textiles. I would like to introduce them to you again sometime.
■Memories of my apprenticeship in New York
■During his off-time as an apprentice @NY
Today I would like to write about the textile brand "Maria Kent," which was often used by my mentor, the haute couture designer Robert Dence, during his apprenticeship in New York. The reason is that I will be using it for the first time in a long while in my next project, "Yoshiokubo."
Maria Kent's studio is located in the 17th arrondissement, an upscale residential area in the northwest of Paris. The studio is located near the Seine River, north of the Bois de Boulogne, where the Longchamp racecourse, where the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is held every October, is located. It might be easier to understand if you think of it as being just behind the Arc de Triomphe, a famous tourist spot.
Maria Kent is known for its tweeds made with fancy yarns. These are not the straight yarns that we usually imagine, but rather the shape of the yarn itself is designed, so the surface of fabrics woven with them has a three-dimensional feel and is very distinctive. There are various theories, but it seems that the world-famous tweeds frequently used by Chanel were originally made here.
(Maria Kent's studio exterior and textiles)
Their use of color is simply amazing, and they come up with color combinations that I would never have thought of. The yarn itself is also developed here, so it's no surprise that they can create textiles that are exclusive to this place.
I've visited the atelier three or four times, and I'm always amazed by the textiles here and there that have unique pattern combinations that no one else has ever tried, which is a lot of fun. What's more, even a designer like me is accepted to make special orders.
The atmosphere in the atelier is great, and when you enter the building, you'll see interns weaving samples. It's easy to see why such free-spirited textiles can be created in a place like this. The location and atmosphere are really important, aren't they?
(Photo of the studio)
I first encountered Maria Kent sequin fabric in New York, and I brought it back to Japan and still have it in my office. It's such a beautiful textile. However, it costs over 10,000 yen per meter, so I can't use that much of it. I'll be able to show you some at the next Yoshiokubo show, so please come and see for yourself.
(yoshiokubo Fall/Winter 2016 Paris Fashion Week look using Maria Kent fabrics)
On the other hand, there are actually some great fabric stores in Japan, such as A-GIRLS (Wakayama). You can always feel their spirit of trying to create something that doesn't exist, and they are dedicated to making great cut-and-sew items.
I also like Kawamura Textile (Tokyo), although I haven't done business with them recently. I can tell they are trying to do interesting things.
(Inside Nakaden Kiori's factory)
Nakaden Kiori (Gifu) is a large company with a long history. They are a wonderful textile manufacturer with a wide range of fabrics. Maria Kent in Paris is in a league of its own, but there are many companies in Japan that spin wonderful textiles. I would like to introduce them to you again sometime.