Kimono-inspired clothes for childre
Celebrating the intricate art of kimonos, Asphodel Studio specialises in clothes made from vintage fabrics, writes Nadia Badarudin
FASHION entrepreneur Suraya Mohd Nasir started collecting vintage books, comics, paintings and fabrics when she was studying aerospace engineering at University of Adelaide, Australia in early 2000. With an admiration for the artwork on vintage kimono fabrics, Suraya started her collection with a kimono silk panel which she bought from Japan in 2014.
Eventually, she saw business potential in her hobby and Asphodel Studio was born.
Established in 2015, Asphodel Studio specialises in children’s clothes made from vintage kimono fabrics as well as handmade wooden cartoon hangers inspired by traditional Japanese kokeshi dolls.
JAPAN’S HERITAGE
“Asphodel is a pretty flower that I love. Asphodel Studio represents my dream to make wearable art from things that I love,” says the 30-year-old from Muar, Johor.
“The story of Asphodel Studio started after my husband asked me to sew a dress for our daughter, Ainur Safiyyah, using my vintage kimono fabrics collection. The Himawari wrap is Asphodel Studio’s first product, which made its debut in 2015.
“I had just completed a clothes sewing course in August 2015 when
I met Ruth Fella from RuthFella Collections.
“She makes clothes for babies and children. We clicked, so we decided to team up to make kimono-inspired clothing line for little ones,” she says.
With Japanese manga and anime being her staple growing up, it was natural for her to fall for the art.
“Kimono is made with love and care. Each illustration is so intricate that if there’s a person, the pattern on his clothes is drawn in great detail.
“If it’s a painting of a village, you will find children playing all sorts of games and the housewives drying clothes while gossiping.
“I’m amazed by such elements and heritage. Each exquisite fabric tells a unique story and I love to share the intricate art through my creations,” she says.
‘MOTTANAI’
Asphodel Studio’s cute clothes are made mainly from used but well-kept kimonos dating back from the 70s and 80s, and as early as the 50s.
From simple kimono wraps called Himawari Wrap, the company then produces jinbei rompers for babies and jinbei tops with matching shorts for toddlers.
Jinbei is a simplified yukata (light cotton kimono) without an obi belt to keep the garment in place, says Suraya.
“Wepractise the concept of mottanai where nothing goes to waste. Large-sized remnants are turned into kimono tutu wraps, booties and hair accessories, while the extras from smaller kimono panels are sold at a cheaper price to crafters.
“Kimono tutu wraps are dresses where the top is sewn from a kimono while the skirt is made from tulles of pretty colours. These dresses are our bestsellers,” she says.
Asphodel Studio has several types of kimono that they work on.
“The Komon kimono (daily wear worn by the elderly) has small and repetitive patterns and can be turned into any design.
“The Tomesode (formal kimono worn by married women) and Furisode (formal kimono worn by young girls for special events) need a bit of play. The Tomesodeusually has beautiful scenery at the bottom Jinbei rompers make a perfect gift for newborns.
of the kimono while the upper part is plain or pitch black. We usually turn it into skirts, while the upper part is turned into linings for table runners, bags and coasters.
“The Furisode is a favourite among customers due to its patterns and bright colours.
“However, the artwork on Furisode is usually large. It is a waste to cut it so we normally make a top out of it.” The company also retails low range garments such as jinbei made from locallysourced cottons and
batik. Latest product: Kimono wristlet. Pretty flower girls in kimono tutu dresses.
COMFY FOR CHILDREN
Sales were not good at the beginning because customers were unfamiliar with the idea of pricey vintage kimono for children, particularly in our hot and humid weather.
“We make the clothes according to a child’s age or the fabrics’ textures. For instance, for silk, we line it with soft cotton to ensure a comfortable wear.
“Crepe fabrics are great for dresses but the textures are not suitable for babies. So, we use such fabrics to make clothes for toddlers,” says Suraya.
She adds that the care and maintenance of the clothes is easy.
“Just hand-wash the clothes with a soft solution and air dry them away from direct sunlight.”
NEW PRODUCTS
Asphodel Studio has a few plans in the pipeline such as using tenugui, a Japanese cotton cloth commonly used as washcloth and hanging decor, to make jinbei for kids’ daily wear.
It also plans to produce fashion items for adults like handbags, cardigans and skirts.
“We have some unused kimono fabrics that are too expensive to be made into children’s clothes or the textures are too heavy for them.
“So, we recently collaborated with crafter Azzahra Kaur to turn them into pretty wristlets and these have become our first product to cater to adults.”
Asphodel Studio’s products retail between RM69 and 259. For details, go towww.facebook.com/asphodelstudio and www.instagram.com/asphodelstudio