Japan's Japonica revives the use of silk in its 2010 spring summer collection
By Channel NewsAsia's Michiyo Ishida | Posted: 18 November 2009 0117 hrs

	Photos  of

TOKYO: It's that time of year when fashion brands unveil their 2010 spring summer collection. Some new labels in Japan will be trying to make an impression.

As Channel NewsAsia's Michiyo Ishida finds out, one brand has given itself the lofty goal of reviving a tradition.

The colours are bright with a slight subtleness representing the world of Zen Buddhism.

Motifs used for kimonos, also represent all that is pleasant to our taste buds.

The theme is wagashi or Japanese traditional sweets. In Japan sweets are produced representing plants or seasonal concepts every month. For example, for April, it’s cherry blossoms."

One particular brand wants to promote the material used which is silk.

At one time, Japan was the world's biggest silk producer. And in the hope of reviving that tradition, the designer and her team started the Japonica brand.

Masako Oka, designer, Japonica, said: ''The word Japonica implies - let's export silk which Japan has long treasured. The significance of the silk is indicated in the word that means Japan."

Her idea won support from the central government and local authorities of Nagano where Ms Oka is based.

Since Japonica was launched last October, the silk used for its creations has been from China.

But it will soon switch to using silk from the designer's own hometown.

According to a silk expert from Kyoto, China and Italy use the same type of machine, whether it's to weave chemical fibre or silk.

In Japan, the machines are only for silk, which explains the difference, seen as fine crinkles in the fabric.

Jiro Sugie, president, Sugie Silk Planning, said: "In Japan's case, because of the kimono, although the tradition has declined, the industry is still continuing. And the machines used specialize in silk. "

Another selling point of the fabric is that it can be hand-washed.

The Japonica brand has been introduced in Paris and displayed at Narita Airport.

Its creators hope the next step will see their traditional yet modern designs catch on in the rest of Asia. - CNA/vm