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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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Shop Update: Dramatic Maxis

February 6, 2012 By Chie

Top: Bold Floral Maxi Dress, Bottom: Butterfly Maxi Dress

Two new pieces have been added to the shop🙂  At the moment, I’m into the asymmetric skirt shape after making this skirt for my self. I just added a top to the skirt to make it a dress. The bold floral print was a recent find at a Nippori fabric shop. It’s soft (I think it’s a blend of poly and rayon), and drapes beautifully (matching scarf here). Both dresses are lined. These dresses can be dressed up or down, depending on accessories and shoes.

Valentine’s Day sale is still going on! The ready-to-ship items are 20% off with a coupon code “VALENTINE20”.

I’m currently working on a Valentine’s Day themed lookbook. Here is a sneak peak! The photo was taken in Shin Urayasu, Chiba, near the Tokyo Disney Land.

Filed Under: blog, blogs, creation, Etsy Tagged With: asymmetric, dress, etsy, handmade, romantic, valentine's day

Mommy’s Diary 39: Babyless Vacation – Guam Trip Photo Diary

February 3, 2012 By Chie


Andy and I took a vacation to Guam to celebrate our 5th year wedding anniversary. Our anniversary is actually in December, but with Christmas and the end of the year craziness, overtime, we started celebrating it in January. It is too confusing to figure out which date is our actual wedding anniversary anyway, since we officially married in the U.S. in November, and had our American wedding, then Japanese wedding in Japan and finally did official paper work in Japan in January. One downside of international marriage is that we have to do a lot of paperwork to keep both of our governments happy.

Anyway, sunny warm Guam weather was such a nice change to the gloomy cold weather in Japan. I was so happy to be able to wear tanks, bathing suits and dresses. No tights or coats! We stayed in the Hilton, and were really happy with our choice. The pool, private  beach, gym,sauna and room servicres were all excellent (I sound like a Travelocity commercial). The breakfast was great too.

We stuffed ourselves with a big breakfast, played in the pool and on the beach. We walked around the island all day. Other people seemed to take buses from the hotel to different spots, but we prefered to walk. It is a small island anyway. You might laugh if I say one of the perks of going to Guam was to shop at K-mart!? But we stayed at K-mart for a good two hours, checking out good old American foods, underwear in right sizes (for Andy) and buying a ton of dental floss (I find flosses expensive in Japan!).

We also went scuba diving. It was stunning! It was as if you were swimming in an aquarium. I didn’t think the price was too bad, $55 each for one dive. This was the second time I have been diving. The first time, I panicked, but after the delivery, I don’t think anything really scares me anymore. 🙂

We were in Guam for two nights and three days. I’m proud to say that I wore self-made clothes during the entire trip. Looking back on 2011, I did not make much clothing for myself as I was busy making them for other people. I brought my white lace shorts, lizard skirt and white back cut out dress to wear and I felt so special in my clothes, these exist as unique one-of-a-kind items in this world that only I have 🙂 I will have to make more clothes for myself this upcoming year.

We left our baby with my parents during this trip. She’s stayed over night with them in the past, but only one night at a time, so naturally I was nervous. I called twice a day and kept looking at her pictures that are saved in my iphone. When I saw  some small children at the pool, Andy and I talked about what Kiko would do in the pool and on the water slides etc.. We missed her very much, but at the same time we were happy to have some alone time. Also, for this trip we had to fly and plane rides with infants are terrible, as proven during our trip to Korea a few months back.

I look forward to taking family vacations with Kiko and more kids to come in the future  – It will be so much fun. But, for the time being, Kiko still takes two naps (2.5 hrs in the morning and 1.5 hrs in the afternoon) a day and I don’t wish to sit in a hotel room while she naps…So she stays at home!

 

Filed Under: blog, blogs, mama series Tagged With: baby, guam, motherhood, varcation

Golden Gloves to Hemline: Pt. 5 Building Blocks

February 1, 2012 By Chie

As many of you know Chie and I went on vacation last week. Chie says that we went because we had free miles but in reality I needed time to emotionally recover. Having done so I know crack open “The Book”. “@&$ Me! I need another vacation.

First let’s dive into: How to Read Patterns. It tells me that I can iron the patterns if there are creases…? This seems like a tragic fire waiting to happen, “In local news white man burns down peaceful Japanese neighborhood. Witness say he kept claiming that the book told him he could do it.” I digress. The patterns in this book looks like a kaleidoscope threw up, are they supposed to look like that? One thing I need the Warden’s (a.k.a. Chie) help with is this seem allowance thing. Why is there not just a standard seem allowance? Oh, I know because this was designed by women.

I’m now reading about following the pattern lines that fit my size. I have a problem because my size does not exist in women’s clothes, my bust is too small :_( all in all I feel more emotionally prepared for tracing patterns. There are numbers and lines and as long as I don’t drink to much before seeing I shoot be ok… but,threading the needle is another story entirely.

Chie just caught me reading the pattern for the “Burda Coat”…she slapped me in the face and said I was too stupid for the coat pattern and I should only look at the skirt pattern. I apologized and finished cooking her dinner. On a happier note, next week I will try and trace my first pattern.

All for now ladies, I will now return to doing what I do best…hiding from Chie!

Related post:
Golden Gloves to Hemline: Pt. 1 Getting Started
Golden Gloves to Hemline: Pt. 2 Threading a Needle
Golden Gloves to Hemline: Pt. 3 Remedial Class
Golden Gloves to Hemline: Pt. 4 Manly Measurements

Filed Under: blog, blogs, Golden Gloves to Hemline Tagged With: beginner, burdastyle sewing handbook, men, sewing

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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
Before the doors opened, there was this. Garments Before the doors opened, there was this.

Garments waiting on the rack. Brushes in hand. Quiet conversations in corners. The unhurried moment before everything becomes a show.

""Released. Reimagined."" with @designerhelen was made possible by so many generous hands — our makeup and hair team, our models, every person who showed up early and stayed late. Thank you for caring for these pieces, and for each other, the way you did.

More to come🤍

扉が開く前の、静かな時間。

ハンガーに並ぶ作品たち。メイクブラシの音。片隅でかわされる小さな会話。 すべてがショーになる前の、穏やかな瞬間。

@designerhelen との“Released. Reimagined."" は、たくさんの方々の手によって生まれました。 メイク・ヘアチームのみなさん、モデルのみなさん、早くから駆けつけて最後まで残ってくれたすべての方へ。 本当にありがとうございました。
次回も頑張ります🤍

Photographer 

Models
@emorylove33
@naka_kanar
@bethenny.x
@izumi_nishida
@yui78_02
@aino.yamada03
@_kasumi.y
@sienna.christinaaa

Nails
@ms_muse_nail

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#releasedreimagined #KimonoUpcycling #BehindTheScenes #SustainableFashion #着物リメイク
Behind the Scenes🪡 →The Runway ✨ カオスに包まれたアトリエから、ラ Behind the Scenes🪡 →The Runway ✨

カオスに包まれたアトリエから、ランウェイへ。

1つのコレクションが形になるまで、床が見えなくなるほどの生地、型紙、そして数え切れないほどの試行錯誤の時間が詰まっています。

命を吹き込んでくれた素晴らしいモデルの皆さん、そして支えてくださったスタッフの皆さんに心から感謝💝

あなたのお気に入りのルックはどれですか?ぜひコメントで教えてください👇❤️

From a chaotic atelier to the runway.

Before a collection comes to life, there are floors buried under fabric, pattern pieces, and countless hours of trial and error.

A heartfelt thank you to the incredible models who breathed life into each look, and to every member of the team who made it all possible 💝

Which look was your favorite? Let me know in the comments 👇❤️

#ファッションショー #ランウェイ #バックステージ #fashiondesigner #runway
Something I've been building since 2008 — taking k Something I've been building since 2008 — taking kimono fabric, fabric that already holds someone's memory, and giving it a new life.

Last Saturday, I got to share that with someone very special.

@designerhelen is a designer from New York who first reached out to me through my little sewing lesson account. When we started talking, I realized we were asking the exact same question: how do you take something with a past, and carry it forward?

We met in person here in Tokyo last December. That conversation became Released. Reimagined.
Two designers. Two cities. One shared belief — that beautiful things deserve a second life.

None of this would have been possible without our incredible team:

👗 Models: @emorylove33 @naka_kanar @bethenny.x @izumi_nishida @yui78_02 @aino.yamada03 @_kasumi.y @sienna.christinaaa

💅 Nails: @ms_muse_nail — gorgeous handmade nail designs 
💍 Jewelry: @viviange — pieces specially designed to coordinate with each piece
✂️ Hair: @angh0 @sho_kanaida @iam__little__boy — next level editorial 
💄 Makeup: @glam_by_jyoti — 8 models, flawlessly done 
📸 Photography: @nothing_special_88 — can't wait for you all to see his shots 
🎯 Model Coordinator: @naka_kanar — styling schedules, rehearsals, walkthrough, everything

Thank you to everyone who came🤍

Photos by @robertorivera.mx

2008年から、ずっと作り続けてきたもの——誰かの記憶を宿した着物の生地を手にとり、新しい命を吹き込むこと。

先週の土曜日、その想いをとても大切な人と一緒に分かち合うことができました。

@designerhelen はニューヨークを拠点とするデザイナー。最初に連絡をくれたのは、私の小さなお裁縫レッスンのアカウントを通じてでした。話し始めてすぐに、私たちは同じ問いを抱えていると。過去を持つものを、どうやって未来へ連れていくか。

昨年12月、東京で初めて直接会いました。その会話が、このショーになりました。

Released. Reimagined. ふたりのデザイナー。ふたつの都市。ひとつの共通した信念——美しいものには、もう一度輝く機会がある✨

#releasedreimangined #tokyofashionshow #harajuku #japanfashionshow projectrunwa
この会場を見つけるまで、けっこう歩き回りました。原宿竹下口から少し路地に入ったところ。前面ガラス張り この会場を見つけるまで、けっこう歩き回りました。原宿竹下口から少し路地に入ったところ。前面ガラス張りで光がたっぷり入って、一目見て「ここだ」と思いました🌱

入口すぐの受付エリアには @brownie_shots のポップアップ、中央スペースはランウェイ会場になります。VIP席も準備中です✨

イベントまであと1週間を切りました。当日、いいお天気になりますように☀️

It took quite a bit of wandering to find this venue. Tucked just off a quiet side street from Harajuku’s Takeshita Exit — full glass frontage, light pouring in. The moment I stepped inside, I knew🌱

Right at the entrance, @brownie_shots will be running a pop-up☕︎ The central space becomes our runway. VIP seating going in now.

Less than one week to go. Fingers crossed for sunshine ☀️

#Harajuku #FashionShow #KimonoUpcycling #SustainableFashion #TokyoEvents
【VIP限定✨】 5/30のファッションショー、席付きVIPチケットをご予約いただいた方は、こちらの 【VIP限定✨】
5/30のファッションショー、席付きVIPチケットをご予約いただいた方は、こちらの帯をリメイクしたオリジナルポーチをプレゼント🎁 

意外とたくさん入ると大好評。
鍵、カードケース、スマホ、メイクポーチまでしっかり収納できる優秀サイズです。

パーティーにクラッチとして、ループにストラップを付ければショルダーにもなる✨

どの柄が届くかは当日までのお楽しみ🤫💕

🗓 2026.05.30 (Sat)
📍 Harajuku, Tokyo
Runway Event & Pop-up Store
詳細はプロフィールリンクをチェック🔗

【VIP Exclusive ✨】
A little sneak peek at the special gift for our VIP ticket holders🎁

For the May 30th fashion show, all VIP guests will receive this original pouch made from upcycled Kimono Obi.

It’s surprisingly spacious! It easily fits your keys, card case, phone, and even a makeup pouch. Wear it as a chic clutch for the party, or attach your own strap to the loops to transform it into a shoulder bag✨

Each one is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece. Which design will you get? It’s a surprise until the big day! 🤫💕

#帯リメイク #サステナブルファッション #ファッションショー #原宿イベント #着物リメイク 
ファッションイベント HelenCastillo
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