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Vivat Veritas

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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New “Weddings” Section on Website!

June 20, 2011 By Chie

Hello!  How was the weekend?  Things are good on this end.  Very productive all around, I think.  Kiko is on a regular schedule and goes to bed without too many tears.  Andy still cries a little bit before bed time but even he is getting used to his schedule:p  The more exciting news is the launch of wedding section (as you can see from the screen shot above).  Here I will be showcasing bridesmaid dresses and very soon will be able to feature my very first custom made wedding dress. As for the bridesmaid dresses, I have done a fair number of those, and I was thrilled to receive recently a photo-testimonial from a customer who had her wedding in the U.S. last year.  She sent me some great photos and a glowing review… I wish I had been there at the wedding!

The first of my “Here Comes the Bride” white wedding dresses is underway as we speak.  My high school friend contacted me a a few months ago about putting her wedding dress together.  I was nervous because it will be my first wedding dress. Not only that, the customer is my good friend… What if she doesn’t like it?  What if I screw it up?  What if questions ran through my mind before I said yes but eventually I decided to take the plunge.  It has been a fun and challenging.  I was not expecting to be in the position of leading her through what she wants created.  I have never led someone through this kind of decision making process before…  She had some styles which she was considering, but was not sure what would best suit her body type and personality. After we decided on general style direction, we did four fittings to make a pattern that perfectly fits her. Her dress will include details like sweet heart neckline, wide waistband and long, half circle skirt.

The next hurdle to overcome is the fabric selection.  Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we can go together on a fabric hunt and pick out her fabric of choice.  There are soo many fabric choices for wedding dress! Silk, satin, lace, organza, white, ivory..we had been to fabric shopping together but came back empty handed, since there were so many choices. When those of you who are married got married, how did you go about the dress selection?  Did you consider going completely custom?  What would be your main concerns if you were having a wedding dress custom made?  Those of you who are unmarried but thinking about it, any thoughts on how you would create a perfect customized wedding dress? I really want this dress to be perfect for her but the bride has so many things to worry about that I think sometimes her thoughts get muddles.  I want to be as helpful as possible without being overbearing…what do you think?

Filed Under: blog, blogs, bridal, customer feed back

Scrap Heap Project: Completed 3 and Shop Update!

June 17, 2011 By Chie

Left: Gray stripes mini poncho dress, Right: Pale pink and lace poncho tunic

I haven’t forgotten about the scrap heap project! I completed two poncho tunics today. The last two tunics sold out, and I received some inquiries about them by some etsians, so I decided to make more of them, using my fabric stash. Plus, I think these breezy tunics are great as beach cover-ups! We live half an hour away from the beach, and I can’t wait to take a trip there soon. Sadly we are now in the middle of the rainy season and it’s been raining every day for the past week. I miss dry, crisp weather!

For those who sew, I made a tutorial for the poncho top here. I was happy to see Wendy from The Butterfly Balcony used my tutorial to make her own poncho dress. Instead of inserting elastic bands at waist, she made a button hole on the side to use it as a belt loop. See her version here🙂

Have a great weekend everyone!

Filed Under: blog, blogs, creation

Mommy’s Diary 8

June 16, 2011 By Chie

Week 8 of motherhood is here! Last week was hard, because I had to be out for work all week long. I missed hanging out with Kiko during the day. My mother and husband watched Kiko while I was out, so at least I felt safe, knowing that she was in the hands of people who love and care for her.

The first day of work, I did not have sufficient time to pump, so by the end of the day, my breasts were so full. Although I told my boss that I would need 10-15 minutes to pump here and there during the day, it was hard to find time to do so. We were going from meeting to meeting, and eating with clients in between leaving me with only 4-5 minutes to pump. By the end of the week, I felt that my milk production went down significantly. My body decided it wasn’t really necessary for it to produce milk I guess. On top of that, I was exhausted and stressed. I’ve read that exhaustion affects the milk production. I read this post about breastfeeding dilemma for working mothers, and I could relate to the writer of the post. Working moms out there, what do you think of this issue? Any advice?

Thankfully over the weekend, I had time to relax a bit and start on some new sewing projects that I had postponed because of work. I was asked by a friend of mine to make a Minnie mouse dress for her one year old daughter. She wanted it for an outing to Tokyo Disney Land. I gladly agreed to make it:) My friend said her daughter wore size 90, which means it is a size for a child who is 90 cm in height. I did not have any pattern for a size 90 girl, but I have a dress for Kiko which is size 100. So I took the dress, and cut out the red and white polkadot fabric based on the dress. I did not add seam allowance because I wanted to make the dress a bit smaller than the one I have.

There are 4 separate parts to this dress: front top, front skirt, back tops and back skirts.

I decided to add a little twist to this simple dress. I did this by inserting a white piping detail – you might already know how much I’m into piping now by my After the Carnival clothes! So I cut out some white bias strips..

And used some cords I bought from 100 yen shop.

Gathered the front and back skirt pieces…

Tada! Piping inserted!

The dress has a back button closure. I just imitated the size 100 dress I had.

I finished the arm hole with bias strips. And done!

I hope the dress fits her daughter well. I’m sending it with a little thank you note because she gave me a very nice shower gift:)

Another friend of mine came over on Saturday for a wedding dress fitting (Yes! I’m making a wedding dress for her!) so I showed her the Minnie mouse dress. Later she sent me this picture of a catalog, for a little girl’s Minnie mouse dress that costs 3700 yen (about 40 USD). Guess how much I spent for my version of the Minnie mouse dress?!  A whopping 600 yen for 1 meter of fabric! 🙂

Filed Under: blog, blogs, mama series

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My name is Chie. I design and make custom wedding dresses in Tokyo, Japan. Read More…

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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
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
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