by Judit Magyar

Life in Japan has many precious moments in store for the curious foreigner. One such a gem of an evening was 1st December when I was kindly invited to the 20th Anniversary of the free magazine “City Living”. The event was organized in the stylish Takakura Hotel, a favoured wedding venue among the young brides of Fukuoka. Besides the tasty dinner buffet, an introduction by the magazine and a solemn wedding-dress show, the most outstanding feature of the evening was a collection specially created for the occasion by Ms. Chizuko Furukawa. Surprisingly, her stunning and fresh-looking clothes along with the haute couture hats were all made from Hakata Ori, a material which has its origins in the Kamakura period.

This unique textile debuted in Japan after a young Hakata merchant, Mitsuda Yazaemon, traveled to China during the Sung Dynasty era, learned the technique of weaving and created his own fabric designs when back in his hometown. The tradition was handed down in the family and 250 years later a descendant of his, Hikosaburo, also embarked on a trip to China, perfected the technique and created new patterns that proved highly popular. The name itself, “Hakata Ori” can be dated to this period as a result of his success. The material thus created was durable and beautiful at the same time, with striped designs that accented the individual colours. The silk fabric’s crispy texture is created by alternating thin and thick threads during its production, a hard job that was traditionally performed by men only.

Hakata Ori has been designated as a “Traditional Craft” by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Nowadays it can be worn both as part of a more formal attire and as a casual accessory, depending on whether it is a hat, belt, bag or a one-piece as it might be. However, creative designers like Ms. Furukawa make sure that the material is put to good use for the youngest possible lady clientele. She has managed to combine the traditional Hakata Ori and other silk materials in such a way that the result is a highly stylish, chic wear that rightly commanded the attention of the young women gathered at Takakura Hotel. The attractive and professional models of “City Living” presented the dresses in four scenes that articulated the settings that may serve as backgrounds for the designer’s ideas. The playful and girlish clothes, along with the more serious-looking but still youthful dresses showing traces of early 20th century fashion both complemented the thought behind their creation. Ms. Furukawa explained that her initial idea was to make young people be able to enjoy Hakata Ori in a contemporary setting and she also mentioned that when this material is used, the “face” of the dress becomes the most important and it stands out from its background. The “Fairy in Hakata” motto confirms to the lush and luxurious feeling that this fabric is about to convey.

The most stunning moments of the event were the highly emotional gratitude of both the designer and the organizers for the warm welcome they received from the audience. Precious as these might have been though, the highlight of the evening for me was a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the models and Ms. Furukawa preparing every detail to perfection before the show. I believe that I have become a devoted fan of Hakata Ori and will search out its special designs for my wardrobe in the future.

For more information visit:

http://www.lisa.co.jp/citywave/

And for information on Hakata-ori:

http://www.hakataori.or.jp/us/index.html