Looking back on 2022 and next year
I am Aika Okochi, the representative of renacnatta.
4 days left for 2022 years. Thanks to everyone's support, we were able to release many items this year. thank you very much.
Usually, this magazine is updated with item introductions and interviews with craftsmen, but in this year's final article, I will write a review of the past year and a little bit about next year.
Review of this year
A wedding dress that you can wear for a lifetime [January]
2022 started with orders for a wedding dress made from Nishijin fabric that can be worn for a lifetime. It is a set-up dress, and even after the wedding ceremony, you can wear it alone with a top or skirt, such as a wedding anniversary, a child's entrance ceremony, etc. Item.
We have sold this dress three times in the past, and each time it has been well received, and customers have sent us pictures of the previous shoot, etc., which makes us feel warm. There is nothing that makes me happier than being chosen as the outfit for the most important day of my life. This will be sold in limited quantities next year as well.
Gold color ear accessories [February, July, December]
This year, the design has changed completely, making it a more compact accessory with a more jewelry-like feel.
I really like the specifications of this accessory, but I want to show off my gold technique even more! I want to expand the area of Kinsai! I decided to stop once this year from the feeling. From next year, we plan to develop other small items.
All of them were drawn freehand with fine lines in a small area... It was an item that caused a lot of trouble for Ms. Natsuko Ueda, a gold paint artist. Still, thank you for finishing each one carefully and beautifully.
Kurume Kasuri [March]
In the spring, we released a reversible skirt that combines Kurume Kasuri, a cotton fabric designated as an important intangible cultural property and a traditional craft of Fukuoka, and Italian gorgeous cotton fabric.
This collection is popular every time, but this time we announce the first straight long shape. A lot of people ordered it. Kurume Kasuri is light, easy to handle, and has a nice texture, so next year we are planning to make men's tops. Kurume Kasuri was used as casual clothes and work clothes in the past. I believe that textiles still have potential in modern times, so I would like to develop them in various ways.
Tango Chirimen [June]
This year's first attempt, Tango Chirimen. Usui Textile, who I worked with, uses polyester thread to create a large texture (uneven texture) that cannot be achieved with silk, and is good at drawing out the charm of Tango Chirimen in an interesting way by making it memory. From the first time I saw it, I definitely wanted to use it, and it turned out to be a skirt that fulfilled my wish.
I thought about the design and colors with a single-minded desire to overturn the image of "Japanese" that the word "Tango Chirimen" has. We used an unused corner of Usui Orimono's factory as the shooting location, and it was a memorable shoot.
Hand-printed scarf [October]
Following last year, we released a new color using the same mold. We put together a vintage atmosphere with navy, greige and pastel green.
Hand printing is a traditional technique in which the fabric is pasted on a large table and each color is applied on a single mold. Renakunatta's scarf uses 22 colors, so you can feel the three-dimensional effect of the motif. It is still undecided whether we will release new colors next year, but we will change the color scheme of 22 colors and release new colors by the year after next.
Also, I'm personally thinking of framing two scarves from the past at the beginning of the year. When this is completed, I will introduce it on SNS etc.
Deadstock [September, December]
This long and best-selling skirt is made of deadstock silk procured in Italy. As a result, I was surprised to find a lighter skirt than I had imagined. It's not bulky, so it's perfect for one piece of travel.
In September, an exhibition and sale event was held for the first time in several years. Many people came and welcomed us on the spot, making it a very lively event. It was also impressive that there were customers who wore it as it was.
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It is thanks to our customers who support us every day that we are able to take on the challenge of creating new items. Your presence gives me confidence, and I can continue to shine a light on things that should be shined, such as traditional crafts and dead stock.
Next year, we will be more energetically involved in manufacturing with industries all over Japan, so I hope you will continue to look forward to it.
next year
We will have lots of new items next year. While continuing to develop products with traditional industries that we have had relationships with, we are also preparing to release items from traditional industries that we have new connections with. To write a little bit, we are preparing new items such as bags, dresses, parasols, men's tops, etc.
Since the launch of the brand, the idea of "to preserve universal value" has never changed. We are striving to develop products so that we can contribute to the industry as much as possible, but our existence is still small. Every day, I am acutely aware of the need for great power in order to have an impact on society.
This year, wonderful members who agree with the brand's aspirations have newly joined us, so we will continue to work to become the great power that we are aiming for.
lastly
From this year, we have strengthened the media of Renac Natta, and we have compiled the behind the scenes of manufacturing and interviews with craftsmen on the Renac Natta website. This is very important content for us.
We are running this magazine because we want to create a brand that makes people think of the craftsmen who make them when they wear Renacnatta items.
I picked up some content I made this year, so I would be happy if you could read it instead of reading during winter vacation.
・Wearing the tradition and new possibilities of Tango Chirimen. Tango Mermaid Wrap Skirt [Craftsman Interview]
・Renaknatta's 4 policies for "manufacturing" | Sustainable fashion that connects traditional crafts
"Kurume-gasuri Collection"・Items that wear the tradition of Kurume Kasuri
・”Nishijin-ori Collection” Bringing traditional crafts and Nishijin textiles to modern fashion
It's the last time, but thank you very much for your hard work in the year. Happy new year to all of you.
We look forward to your continued support of Dodici and renacnatta in 2023.
