Kyoto Marubeni Co., Ltd, a company specializing in kimono business, has collaborated with V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum), one of the world’s leading museums for art, design, and performance, founded in London, Britain. Their first collaborative kimono collection has debuted on Kyoto Marubeni’s online shop.

This collaboration came to fruition as both parties resonated with the mutual appreciation for the beautiful designs of British designers who were active during the Victorian era and the unparalleled craftsmanship and materials of Japan. Kyoto Marubeni and V&A’s research and product development team jointly selected patterns, choosing renowned designs that delicately depict plants from William Morris’s works acquired by the museum, as well as treasured works by Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo and Lewis Foreman Day, who were associated with the Arts and Crafts movement that began in Britain in 1860.

The collection, which combines carefully selected designs with Kyoto’s traditional techniques, offers a wide range of items, including kimono, obi, shawls, and bags. The hand-painted Kyo-yuzen furisode adorned with William Morris’s sunflower pattern is made using a fabric woven with silver threads in the weft, known as koshi-gindoshi, and produced in a Kyoto hand-painted yuzen studio with a history spanning over 150 years, where each piece is individually dyed. Another highlight is the bag featuring the design of Pimpernel, one of the most famous designs by William Morris, also crafted with the hand-painted yuzen technique, in which artisans apply color with brushes on high-quality silk. In addition, the collection includes intricate patterned komon expressed through the suri-yuzen technique, and Nagoya obi, made of Nishijin-ori fabric that captures the shadows of the material, all masterfully recreating 19th century designs through Japan’s outstanding craftsmanship.

These beautiful pieces, condensed with the history and culture of both Britain and Japan, can be purchased on Kyoto Marubeni online shop. The website also features a special movie introducing the production background and the craftsmanship involved.

◾️Main items
Furisode
Komon Kijaku
Fukuro Obi
Nagoya Obi
Yuzen Bag
Yuzen Drawstring Bag
Hand Scarf
Shawl
Lace Coat

◾️Contact
Kyoto Marubeni Co., Ltd
Address: 369, Gokuishi-cho, Manjuji-dori Karasuma-dori Nishi-iru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-city, 600-8429, Kyoto
Tel: +81-75-342-3349
Online shop: https://www.kyotomarubeni.com/
*The website is only available in Japanese. Purchases on the online shop are limited to customers within Japan.