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Custom Wedding Dress & Kimono Upcycled Clothes | オーダーメイドウェディングドレス&着物ドレス

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Before & After | Cardigan to Cropped Sweater

February 20, 2015 By Chie

Cardigan to Gray Cropped Sweater Vivatveritas

I love the cropped top trend and I hope it will continue for a few more seasons. I wore this pink floral one in the Summer and got a good amount of wear out of it; however, I didn’t really get the rationale behind the cropped sweater since you wear sweater in the winter to keep yourself warm but if your belly is exposed, it defeats the purpose. I know that in my head, but when something is trendy, I just can’t seem to let it pass (evidence here for the neon trend).

I’m in a bit of a upcycling phase where I’m taking old clothes and give it new life as you can see it from my last post. I bought this gray sweater cardigan a few years ago from 390 mart. It’s one of my favorite shops in Tokyo! It is a mixture of vintage clothing and kitsy random zakka items like scented candles, make-up pouches and key chains. As far as I know, there are only two, in Machida city and Harajuku.

This DIY was super simple. I took off the buttons (and saved them for a future project) and sewed the front part together. The cardigan has a hood, but I sewed up as much as I can, leaving enough space for my head to go through. It resulted in kind of like a turtle neck, and it keeps my neck warm.

The cardigan was short enough so I did not do anything to make it look “cropped”.
Before and After of Gray Cropped Sweater Vivatveritas

Tokyo winter is not as cold as Philly, where I used to live but it still gets pretty cold in winter. I go everywhere by bike, so I usually have to dress appropriately to bike outside. I wore this over a maxi dress I made so head to toe was covered.

Cardigan to Gray Cropped Sweater Vivatveritas.com1

Cardigan to Gray Cropped Sweater Vivatveritas.com4Cardigan to Gray Cropped Sweater Vivatveritas.com2

また洋服をリメークしました♥
390マートで数年前に買ったカーディガンのボタンを外し、前を縫い合わせてクロップセーターに。

chie sig2{find me elsewhere: shop, facebook, etsy, twitter, pinterest, instagram}

Before & After | Cocktail Dress to Pleated Skirt

February 17, 2015 By Chie

Before and After of Dress to Pleated Skirt DIY Vivat Veritas2After reading about Wardrobe Rehab over at a pair & a spare, I try to review my closet every few months to get rid of clothes that I don’t wear by donating them to thrift shops. Although I made this a regular practice, there are some items that I neglected to part with even though I don’t wear them at all. This cocktail dress is one of those items. I do have an emotional attachment to this dress as this was the dress I wore to my engagement party nine years ago. After that, I wore this once for a work party, but not since. Since I bought the dress nine years ago, now being 30, I feel like this dress is too young for me.Before and After of Dress to Pleated Skirt DIY Vivat VeritasInstead of getting rid of the dress all together, I upcycled it by making it into a knee length skirt.

Here is how:

You need:
1. babydoll style dress with pleated skirt (stretch material)
2. 2″ wide elastic band cut in your waist length + 1″ for seam allowance

Cocktail dress to pleated skirt DIY1It was a baby doll style dress, so first I cut off the top part. Sorry for all the white fuzz in the pictures! Right before this DIY, I was working on a white fur… I made a tissue case cover.

Cocktail dress to pleated skirt DIY2

Sew the elastic band and attach it to the skirt you just cut. Since the skirt waist was bigger than my elastic, I stretched the elastic as I sewed it onto the skirt. Cocktail dress to pleated skirt DIY3

Cut two satin ribbons so you can attach it to the inside of skirt waist. This is so that you can hang the skirt on a hanger to store.
Cocktail dress to pleated skirt DIY4

All done! Brad new pleated skirt that works in winter with tights and spring! Cocktail dress to pleated skirt DIY5DIY-dress-to-pleated-skirt-

3か月に1回はクローゼットを整理して、もう着ないものは人にあげたり、リサイクルショップに持っていったりするようにしているのですが、それでも、着ていないのになかなか離れられない服が出てきます。

私はこのドレスを9年前に買って、自分の婚約パーティーで着たので、もうこんな露出度高いのは着ないと思いつつ、なんだか捨てられないでいました。

そんな時はリメーク!
黒いゴムを、切ったドレスのウエストに縫い付けるだけでプリーツスカートの出来上がり。
ウエストゴムだから、ちょっと食べすぎちゃっても大丈夫。
クローゼットに収納しやすいよう、内側に引っ掛け紐もつけました。

chie sig2{find me elsewhere: shop, facebook, etsy, twitter, pinterest, instagram}

Valentine’s Day Idea | $20 Gift Exchange

February 13, 2015 By Chie

valentines day 20 dollar gift exchange idea

Early Valentine’s day lunch at Bar de ESPANA LIBRA

Andy and I exchange gifts on special occasions that has a limit of $20. It started when we first got married. We were 22, and broke (Andy was still a student) but still wanted to make special days special. So we came up with the $20 gift exchange idea and even after 8 years of marriage we stuck with it.

When I tell my friends that I have a $20 limit on anniversary gifts, birthday gifts, valentine’s day gifts etc, they seem perplexed. But there is a lot you can do with $20! I love that it forces you to be a bit more creative. Here are some gifts I’ve given to Andy in the past:
– Three indoor golf lessons (found on Groupon)
– Handmade grappling dummy. These can cost up to 450 bucks.I used an online tutorial and made it out of PVC pipe, pillow and duct tape.
– Some CDs bought on ebay (you can tell that this is a gift from a while ago)
For this Valentine’s day, I gave him a new backpack which I scored with gift certificate, so it was still under the budget. It wasn’t the most creative gift, but it doesn’t have to be every time, right?
japanese hair curler heatless
japanese hair curler heatless2Andy gave me these heatless curlers! I do heatless curls overnight some nights. I usually wet my hair a bit and taking a piece of rag, I roll my hair with it and sleep with that on my hair. The curls usually last all day and I like that fact that it does not damage my hair. He always made fun of me for having rags all twisted up in my hair at bedtime so he bought me these plastic tube curlers. I haven’t tried them yet but they seem more comfortable than having rags in my hair!
Anyway, I always enjoy our gift exchange tradition. It’s fun. Would you try it with your boyfriend/husband? How do you decide on what to get for gifts and how much to spend? I’d love to read about it!
結婚した当時から、何かのイベント(誕生日、記念日、クリスマスなど)に、2000円リミットでプレゼントを旦那さんとあげっこするのが恒例になっています。
きっかけは、結婚後すぐは旦那さんが学生だったこともあり、自由になるお金が少なかったからなのですが、もう8年目になると、2000円だけという課題事態を楽しんでいます。
私は今回は貯めておいたギフトカードを使って新しいリュックをプレゼントしました。
旦那さんからは、熱を使わないカーラー!
寝る前に、今まで端切れに髪を巻き付けて寝ていた(翌朝ゆるウェーブになってるんです!)のですが、それを見かねたらしく、ちゃんとしたカーラーを買ってくれました。chie sig2
{find me elsewhere: shop, facebook, etsy, twitter, pinterest, instagram}
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My name is Chie. I design and make custom wedding dresses in Tokyo, Japan. Read More…

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実はこのお洋服、今回のショーに入れるか自分では迷っていました。結構前に作った作品だったので。でもヘレ 実はこのお洋服、今回のショーに入れるか自分では迷っていました。結構前に作った作品だったので。でもヘレンと話す中で、これも一緒に見せようと決めました。

ヘレンと3週間近く一緒に準備を進める中で、コレクションの作り方、見る人を楽しませる魅せ方、ルック全体の組み立て方など、本当にたくさんのことを学びました。自分一人だったらこのルックスを入れる決断はしなかったと思う。誰かと一緒に作ることで見えてくるものがあるんだなと、改めて実感しました。
ヘレン、ありがとう♡

Honestly, I wasn't sure whether to include this piece in this show. It was something I'd made a while back. But talking it through with Helen, we decided to show it together after all.

Working with Helen for almost three weeks to prepare for the show, I learned so much — how to build a collection, how to style looks that engage an audience, how to put together a look as a whole. I don't think I would have made the decision to include this piece if I'd been on my own. Creating something together with someone else really opens your eyes to things you wouldn't see alone.

thank you Helen @designerhelen♡

Model @izumi_nishida

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#KimonoUpcycled #SustainableFashion #DesignerCollab #着物リメイク #ものづくり

Model @izumi_nishida

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti
お客様からお預かりした大切な帯。 大切に保管されていた帯ほど、実は「日常でどう使えばいいかわからな お客様からお預かりした大切な帯。

大切に保管されていた帯ほど、実は「日常でどう使えばいいかわからない」という声をよく伺います。だからこそ、その帯の物語を読み解きながら、現代の暮らしに馴染むデザインに仕立て直すことを意識してます😌

パッと見にはわからないけれど、実は使いやすさを追求した仕掛けが隠れています。

ショルダーを付ければ、両手が空くアクティブなスタイルにも対応👜

あなたの思い出の帯も、こんな風に日常の相棒にしてみませんか?

A precious obi entrusted to me by a client.

I often hear people say they aren't sure how to incorporate their cherished obis into their daily lives. That is exactly why I focus on reading the story woven into the fabric and reimagining it into a design that fits modern living😌

There are hidden details that make this bag truly functional, even if you can't see them at first glance. By attaching the shoulder strap, it becomes the perfect hands-free bag for an active lifestyle👜

#upcycledfashion #着物リメイク #obibag #remake #sustainablestyle
飛行機と電車の中で作ったジャケットです✈️🚆 去年の夏の3週間、アメリカとヨーロッパを旅しながら、 飛行機と電車の中で作ったジャケットです✈️🚆

去年の夏の3週間、アメリカとヨーロッパを旅しながら、座席でひたすらチクチク🪡着物の裏地にキルト芯を挟んで、フリーハンドで刺し子して、日本に帰ってから染めました。

This jacket was made on airplanes and trains✈️🚆

Over three weeks last summer, traveling through the US and Europe, I stitched away in my seat🪡 
Kimono lining sandwiched with quilt batting, sashiko stitched freehand, then dyed after I got back to Japan.

Model
@kana_nakar

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Nails
@ms_muse_nail

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#kimonoupcycle #sashiko #sustainablefashion #ReleasedReimagined
#刺し子
お客様から届いたステキな帯を、オーダーメイドのリュックにアップサイクルしました✂️ 吉祥文様が織り お客様から届いたステキな帯を、オーダーメイドのリュックにアップサイクルしました✂️

吉祥文様が織り込まれた錦の帯地は、黒地に金・白・紫…と、見る角度によって表情が変わる贅沢な一品。その美しさをそのまま活かしながら、毎日持ち歩きたくなる使いやすいリュックに仕立てました。内ポケット付きで、実用性もしっかり。

受注制作についてはプロフィールのリンクよりお問い合わせください💌

A client’s treasured obi has found a new life as a custom-made backpack✂️

The brocade fabric, woven with auspicious Japanese motifs, shifts from gold to white to violet depending on the light, a truly luxurious textile. I tried to preserve its beauty while crafting it into a backpack you’d actually want to carry every day. Complete with interior pockets for real-world practicality.

For custom orders, visit the link in our profile 💌

#KimonoUpcycle #SlowFashionJapan #WearableHeritage #着物リメイク #帯リメイク
着物リメイクをするとき、どうしても捨てられてしまうことの多い裏地。 薄手のシルクの手触り、もったい 着物リメイクをするとき、どうしても捨てられてしまうことの多い裏地。

薄手のシルクの手触り、もったいなくてサマーワンピースに生まれ変わらせました。

そのままでは物足りないのでアーティストの Riko Monma @rikoshurimonmaさんに染め直しをお願いしたら、一気に息を吹き返しました✨

数年前に作ったこの一着、今回の @designerhelен とのイベントで、コレクションに加えることにしました。

Helenからは色の組み合わせについていろいろアドバイスをもらって、自分だけでは絶対に辿り着けなかったような配色を試してみたり。準備の時間も、とても楽しかった😌

The lining of a kimono — often discarded when the fabric is remade into something new.
That soft, lightweight silk felt too good to let go, so I turned it into a summer dress. It needed something more, so I asked artist Riko Monma to dye it for me — and suddenly it came alive again.

I made this piece a few years ago, but for the recent event with @designerhelena, I decided to bring it into the collection. Helen gave me so much guidance on color — combinations I never would have arrived at on my own. The whole preparation process was just really, really fun😌

Model
@bethenny.x

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Nails
@ms_muse_nail

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#着物リメイク #キモノアップサイクル #KimonoUpcycle #SustainableFashionTokyo #ReleasedReimagined
生地をよく見ると、お姫様が👸 金彩の御所車、菊、そしてひっそりと佇む姫。 裾に宿ったまま、また別 生地をよく見ると、お姫様が👸

金彩の御所車、菊、そしてひっそりと佇む姫。 
裾に宿ったまま、また別の人生を歩みだしました♡

Released. Reimagined. — Helen Castillo @designerhelen x Vivat Veritas 

Look closely at the fabric — there’s a princess👸

A gilded royal carriage, chrysanthemums, and a maiden standing quietly in the shadows. Still living in the hem, she steps into another life♡

Model
@_kasumi.y

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

Nails
@ms_muse_nail

#着物リメイク #御所解 #KimonoRemake #TokyoFashion #ReleasedReimagined
@allpress_espresso のコーヒーバッグで作りました☕️ Cafés do Bras @allpress_espresso のコーヒーバッグで作りました☕️

Cafés do Brasil 豆を運んでいた頃の文字が、そのままジャケットの背中に残っています。
着物だけでなく、面白い来歴のある生地をもっと取り入れていきたいと思っています✂️
素材:コーヒーバッグ × 着物シルク

Made from a coffee sack sourced from @allpress_espresso.

Cafés do Brasil — the stamp from its days carrying beans stays right there on the back. 

Kimono fabric has always been at the heart of what I do, but I want to bring in more materials with a history — things that have traveled, carried weight, meant something before they became a garment.

Materials: coffee sack × kimono silk

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Model
@emorylove33

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#upcycledfashion #sustainablestyle #coffeesack #wearablestories #ReleasedReimagined
蝶は、繭の中でひとりで変わるわけじゃない。 縫う人がいて、形が生まれる。 描く人がいて、顔に光が宿 蝶は、繭の中でひとりで変わるわけじゃない。

縫う人がいて、形が生まれる。
描く人がいて、顔に光が宿る。
飾る人がいて、耳元に物語が揺れる。

そのひとつひとつが重なって、
一着の服がランウェイで羽を広げます🦋

今回のショーに関わってくださったすべての方へ💌
ありがとうございました。皆様の手が、この服を完成させてくれました。

A butterfly doesn’t transform alone.

Someone sews, and a shape is born.
Someone paints, and light finds a face.
Someone adorns, and a story stirs beside the ear.

Each gesture layered upon the next —
until one garment spreads its wings on the runway🦋

To everyone who was part of this show 💌
Thank you.🥹Your hands brought this to life.

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88

Model
@yui78_02

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#ReleasedReimagined #kimono #着物リメイク #sustainablefashion #runway
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