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New samurai jackets, shirts and pants bring traditional Japanese fashion back to the streets

Oona McGee Dec 8, 2018
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Designed and made in Japan by experienced kimono makers, this new collection comes with a host of cool hidden extras.

Samurai-style clothing has made big strides in recent years, with a number of Japanese companies bringing out modern-day streetwear based on traditional garments. Now there’s a new brand called Kuden that’s catching everyone’s attention, and it comes with a heartwarming story of love and sustainability at the centre of its collection.

Takahiro Sato, the designer of Kuden’s new Samurai Mode Series, says the inspiration for the range came about when he was sorting through his mother’s personal effects after she passed away. He found her kimono and his own haori and hakama set, which he’d worn as a young boy, and was overcome with memories and a desire to wear traditional clothing again.

The idea of “rebooting” these garments led to the birth of Kuden’s modern-day range, which aims to help people feel the “spirit of samurai” in their everyday clothing.

The new series is currently being rolled out with a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, starting with the release of the Samurai Mode Jacket.

The kimono-style jacket comes with some gorgeous hidden details, including the same type of miyatsu guchi side openings used on traditional kimono to help keep the beautiful shape of the sleeves.

Unlike traditional kimono, though, these jackets include three concealed pockets on the inside for storing small items like smartphones or business cards.

The jacket also comes with tiny chi, traditionally used on haori jackets for attaching a short rope to fasten the front of the garment together.

This means you can customise the Kimono Jacket to your liking with a wide range of accessories.

The Kimono Jacket is a unisex design that comes in black or ivory, and can be dressed up for more formal situations, or worn with your regular wardrobe for business or more casual occasions.

The Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to put the Kimono Jacket into production has been incredibly popular, smashing its goal of 100,000 yen (US$886.69) by raising 411,684 yen in funds, with 21 days currently remaining.

This is good news for the rest of the designs in their yet-to-be-released collection, including the Samurai Mode Shirt…

▼ And the Samurai Mode Pants.

▼ The trousers take their design inspiration from traditional hakama pants.

The three garments are designed to work well with regular items in your wardrobe or they can be worn together for a more eye-catching look.

All the items in the range are made in Japan, sewn at a reputable sewing factory in Tochigi Prefecture which has received awards from the government for hiring seniors and disabled employees. Unlike clothes found at fast fashion retailers, these garments are made to last for at least a decade, much like Sato’s mother’s beloved kimono.

The prices reflect the company’s dedication to quality, with the Kimono Jacket currently available on the Kickstarter campaign at a 50-percent reduced price of 23,760 yen. Prices for the Samurai Mode Shirt and Pants will be revealed when their crowdfunding campaign begins in the near future.

Source: Kickstarter/Takahiro Sato via Japaaan
Images: Kickstarter/Takahiro Sato