Souvenir Jacket


Formal formal attire
 For "clothing" made in Japan.

Old Masterpiece

Tomesode.

It is the most formal kimono worn by married women.
 In particular, black tomesode are kimonos that are often worn by married female relatives or matchmakers' wives at weddings and receptions.
If we were to compare the black kimono to men's Western clothing, it would be similar to a "morning coat" or a "tuxedo."

Because this is a kimono worn on such celebratory occasions, it is characterized by painted "eba patterns," which are motifs considered to be auspicious.
An eba pattern is a pattern that flows from one end of the kimono to roughly the opposite end.
Among these, the black tomesode is different from normal kimonos, as it is made of jet-black dyed black silk with gorgeous decorations such as gold thread and gold leaf only on the hem, and is decorated with bold and glittering paintings.

Kimono are tailored to fit the wearer, but even though the pattern on a tomesode is adjusted to a certain extent, it is delicately applied to the seam allowance so that the pattern continues.
In other words, the painter of eba patterns plans the composition of the picture based on these assumptions beforehand and then paints it.
"Adding pictures to something where the stitching position can be changed" is by no means an easy task.


Clothes worn at celebratory occasions.
How many opportunities does one person have to wear both Japanese and Western clothing?

These days, opportunities to wear kimono have drastically decreased.
In particular, the black kimono, which is rarely worn, is gradually being forgotten as to its original meaning and value.

The traditions, crafts, and technology created by Japan.
Because it is a special kimono, the black tomesode is made to a particularly high standard.

AITTA wanted to create an upcycled product using these black kimonos, which are in a very unfortunate condition despite their excellent condition, in their own unique interpretation.
The boldly painted eba patterns are magnificent, but when worn as a kimono, some of the overlapping parts are hidden.
Is it possible to seamlessly connect these wonderful images together in one product?

With this idea in mind, we focused on souvenir jackets, commonly known as "sukajan."

New Works

This product was purchased as a souvenir by American soldiers stationed in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, after World War II when they returned home.
It features oriental motifs characteristic of Japan, such as eagles, hawks, tigers, and dragons, embroidered using horizontal diagonal stitching.
In addition, there was a trend for American soldiers to have the names of their unit and emblems embroidered all over their uniforms and take them back to their home country.

The design is based on a souvenir jacket, one of the few Western clothing items made in Japan, and beautifully connects the pattern of a black kimono.

The kimono has a loose fit, and instead of embroidery, a picture of a black kimono is placed all over the body.
I hoped that this would be an expression that would help people find even greater value in Japanese kimonos, which can be considered works of art.

We also paid special attention to the "parts," which are typically knitted using blended yarns that combine synthetic fibers, wool, and cotton.

Ribbing on the neckline, hem and cuffs (custom-made with silk thread)
Cord piping (made from pure silk fabric) is sewn from the side of the neck to the cuffs. AITTA souvenir jackets are all made entirely of silk.

Silk knitting yarn is expensive, but the texture and feel that I was able to experience by making a ribbed sample is indeed first-class.

Triangular parts are decorated on both sides of the front pocket.

The original parts, which have the same fabric enclosed inside and the edges sewn with silk embroidery thread, are luxurious and have a special specification that provides a sense of stability during the installation process.

Of course, for the zippers, which are an important part of the bag, we used Riri (Switzerland) and LAMPO (Italy), which combine a strong appearance and a luxurious feel, in pursuit of suitability.

We uncompromisingly use our unique eye to find exquisite kimonos, and because we spend a lot of time on our handwork, we are unable to produce a large number of products at once.

The design, the condition, the story...
Each garment is lovingly made.

This is a special Tomesode souvenir jacket from AITTA.

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