古布にはいろんな物語があります…
日本の古い着物や帯、襦袢、フランスのアンティークの柔らかいレース等々、長きにわたりコツコツと集めてまいりました。
いつ、誰が、どんな背景で、どんな想いで使っていたのでしょうか…そんなことを考えるだけで胸が高鳴ります。
例えば、私が横浜の古美術店で出会った鶴の織りの見事な掛袱紗（かけふくさ）。
掛袱紗とは、御祝を持参する際、塵除けのために目録やお祝いの品などの贈答品の上に掛ける絹布のことです。
袱紗で包む習慣は平安時代からありましたが、掛ける習慣は鎌倉時代から武家の間で広まり、江戸時代後期になると商人や農家の富裕層にも広まりました。
日本の伝統的な着物といえば、吉祥紋をふんだんにあしらった豪華絢爛で煌びやかな絹地のものが浮かびますが、
江戸時代の庶民の間では、奢侈（ぜいたく）禁止令により、制限された渋くて地味な色味の中から、四十八茶百鼠のような微妙な色合いや、豊富な種類の縞や格子柄が生まれたそうで、そのセンスの良さには驚くばかり。
さらに当時の人々は、見えないところほど気を使っており、「裏勝り（うらまさり）」という言葉があります。
着物の表は無地でも裏地は派手に。羽裏に大胆な手描きの絵柄を付けたり、麻や木綿の裏地に絹を付けたりして、人目に付かないところでお洒落を楽しんでいたそうです。
上からのお達しに従いながらも、裏では屈することなく、密かに贅沢を楽しもうとする心意気。見えないところに現れる美意識はまさに「粋」ですね。
そんな歴史の背景や人々の心情がありありと感じられる古布。
刺繍を施すことで新たな生命を吹き込み、その魅力を現代に甦らせるべく、
これからも絹糸の1本1本、ひと針ひと針に想いを込め、古き良き時代の物語を大切に紡いでまいります。
There are many stories behind old cloth…
Over the years, I have been diligently collecting old Japanese kimonos, obi obi, undergarments, antique French soft lace, etc.
When was it used, who was using it, what was the background, and what were their thoughts? Just thinking about it makes my heart pound.
For example, I came across a beautiful hanging cloth with a crane design at an antiques store in Yokohama.
Kakefukusa is a silk cloth that is hung over gifts such as catalogues, congratulatory items, etc. to keep out dust when bringing gifts.
The custom of wrapping gifts in fukusa has been around since the Heian period, but the custom of hanging over them spread among samurai families from the Kamakura period, and in the late Edo period, it also spread to wealthy merchants and farmers.
When we think of traditional Japanese kimonos, we think of luxurious and dazzling silk kimonos richly decorated with auspicious crests.
Among the common people of the Edo period, due to the ban on luxury, the somber and sober colors were restricted, but there were subtle colors such as Shijuhacha, Haccha, Hyakumouse, and a wide variety of colors. It is said that the striped and plaid patterns were invented, and you will be amazed at how good their taste is.
Furthermore, people at that time paid more attention to things that could not be seen, and there is a term for this: “Uramasari.”
The front of the kimono may be plain, but the lining may be fancy. It is said that they enjoyed fashion out of the public eye by adding bold hand-painted designs to the lining of their feathers, or using silk to linen or cotton linings.
Although he obeys orders from above, he does not give in behind the scenes and secretly enjoys luxury. A sense of beauty that appears in invisible places is truly “Iki”.
Old cloth gives a vivid sense of the historical background and people’s feelings.
I try to breathe new life into it through embroidery and revive its charm in modern times.
We will continue to carefully weave the stories of the good old days, putting our thoughts into each silk thread and each stitch.