So you think you can’t rock a kimono because you’re not Japanese? Think again! Tamao Shigemune designs modern versions of traditional Japanese women’s wear with a distinctly Parisian twist, and guess what? You can see them (and try her new summer collection on!) right now in Tokyo, through Sunday March 26th.
The first thing I thought when I saw photos of Shigemune’s summer collection plus Zaaka Vincent‘s whimsical accessories was “haute couture” not “oh, look – foreigners dressed in Japanese costumes.”
Even a visitor having a deathly hair malfunction feels elegant when being dressed in fab kimono like this. And check out the obi: it’s designed so that the second wrap is narrower than the first, so the contrasting fabric peeks out above it!
The entry gives you a little taste of what’s to come, including a few of Shigemune’s eyepopping obis, metal-spiked pineapple pins and a hamburger hat
The summer collection of kimonos is a mix of bold geometrics and beautifully rendered birds…
…and they mix & match with new obi designs that are backed with fun contrast materials, which wink at you from inside the obi bow when it’s tied
She was showing a really large assortment of obis – each more wantworthy than the last – plus two cute x 1000 purses
You can see why I was tempted to say “I’ll take one in every color” when it came to the accessories too
See the supercute dotted obiage peering out from atop Shigemune-san’s moon obi?
Naturally, your zori have to up their game to run with the big dogs, which is why shiny red and polka-dotted footwear were invented
And THESE. Don’t you think we all need a pair of these? Because what else are we going to wear with our tiaras JUST SAYIN
Tamao Shigemune will be showing her collection at that Gallery Triplet on the 4th floor of Minami Aoyama 3-8-2 from 12:00 til 19:00, every day through Sunday, March 26, 2017. Here’s a link to the Tamao Shigemune web shop in case you want to feast your eyes on the lovelies but can’t make it to the show (and, uh, you’ll probably kill me for telling you this, but she ships internationally!)
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7 thoughts on “Tamao Shigemune: Modern Kimonos That’ll Knock Your Socks Off”
Those obis and bags! Infinitely cuter than the ones I have. I’d totally order some…but those prices 😣 and lol at your map directions. So typical that something amazing like this is found in a non descript place.
I know, right? If I hadn’t been with a Japanese friend, I’d definitely have been dashing to and fro like an angry weasel, trying to find how to get into the building (><;;) And yeah, the prices. Weirdly, the prices of more traditional new silk kimono make those look like absolute bargains (especially considering the quality of the silk and the workmanship), but the idea of paying over $1200 for one outfit of Western clothing sort of took my breath away too.
I regret to admit it is (><;;) The thing is, I'd been dashing about in the rain all day, and when I finally found this obscure studio on the top floor of a building with a hidden elevator, I was so excited to see all the stuff I forgot that I looked like shit. Until I saw the pictures NOOOOOO. lol
I did not…but I wanted to! ^^;; And most regrettably, even though I exercised the greatest of restraint, I know her web shop ships internationally, so I’ll never be safe from temptation…
Only In Japan 
Those obis and bags! Infinitely cuter than the ones I have. I’d totally order some…but those prices 😣 and lol at your map directions. So typical that something amazing like this is found in a non descript place.
I know, right? If I hadn’t been with a Japanese friend, I’d definitely have been dashing to and fro like an angry weasel, trying to find how to get into the building (><;;) And yeah, the prices. Weirdly, the prices of more traditional new silk kimono make those look like absolute bargains (especially considering the quality of the silk and the workmanship), but the idea of paying over $1200 for one outfit of Western clothing sort of took my breath away too.
Cute! Is that you in #3? 🙂
I regret to admit it is (><;;) The thing is, I'd been dashing about in the rain all day, and when I finally found this obscure studio on the top floor of a building with a hidden elevator, I was so excited to see all the stuff I forgot that I looked like shit. Until I saw the pictures NOOOOOO. lol
So cute!
Fantastic. Did you purchase anything? D❣🍵
Sent from my iPhone
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I did not…but I wanted to! ^^;; And most regrettably, even though I exercised the greatest of restraint, I know her web shop ships internationally, so I’ll never be safe from temptation…