Meet this week’s Artisan: Shiho Sato of Shantique Kimono
www.shantique.etsy.com FB: Shantique Creations Instagram: kimonoobiwedding Twitter: @ShantiqueKimono Pinterest: @shantiquekimono
Tell us more about yourself, your business… I learned traditional Japanese dance from an early age, and grew up feeling familiar with kimono, such as wearing kimono on a daily basis and touching gorgeous kimono as stage costumes. After studying design in Tokyo, I worked as a designer at an apparel company in Tokyo, worked with Japanese and European designers, and experienced both pret-a-porter and mass production. My mission is to create a design that shines in the current modern scene while making the best use of the original design of the kimono.
I would love to share the beauty and preciousness of the “Wearable Art of Kimono” with people who love kimono and people all over the world who do not know kimono yet. I also design promotional materials and restaurant décor with a Japanese flair.
How would you describe your art/craft? It's the ultimate collaboration of the artisan who created the kimono in the past and my creativity. I handle kimono, which is a treasure that Japan can be proud of, with love and respect. Each pre-loved kimono has its own history: the people who drew patterns, wove/dyed fabrics or sewed kimono, also people who wore them. I design with the utmost respect for the thoughts of various craftsmen who have been cherished.
Read more about Shiho and her work at Kyoto Kimono Artisan Profile series;
