Kao Pao Shu TEAMED WITH LOCAL&DESIGN IN FUKUOKA, JAPAN TO DEVELOP A HANDBAG LINE USING THE TRADITIONAL HAKATA ORI FABRIC

HAKATA ORI IS A UNIQUE WOVEN SILK TEXTILE THAT ORIGINATED IN FUKUOKA, JAPAN. THE FABRIC, STRONGLY EMBEDDED IN JAPANESE CULTURE, IS USED TO CREATE OBI BELTS FOR THE KIMONO. EVEN TODAY, THE ONLY WAY TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND DURABILITY OF THE FABRIC IS TO DO IT BY HAND USING TRADITIONAL LOOMS. THE WEAVING TECHNIQUE IS TAUGHT AT AN ACADEMY WHERE PEOPLE CAN BECOME CERTIFIED HAKATA ORI ARTISTS.

HAKATA SILK THREADS ARE TIGHTLY WOVEN TO CREATE A DURABLE FABRIC WITH INTRICATE MULTI-COLORED DESIGNS. EACH DESIGN USES AROUND 7,000 THREADS IN VARIOUS COLOR COMBINATIONS. THE SET UP ITSELF FOR EACH SPECIFIC PATTERN IS A WEEKLONG PROCESS.

TODAY, HAKATA ORI ARTISTS SUCH AS MIKI YOSHIDA ARE WORKING TO RE-INTRODUCE THE TEXTILE IN A MORE CONTEMPORARY WAY. COLLABORATING DIRECTLY WITH MIKI IN FUKUOKA, NAIDA DECIDED TO INCORPORATE STRIPS OF HAKATA ORI INTO SOME OF HER ORIGINAL DESIGNS.

THE RESULT OF THIS COLLABORATION IS A KAO PAO SHU-HAKATA ORI COLLECTION THAT WILL BE FEATURED IN SELECTED BOUTIQUES AND DEPARTMENT STORES AROUND JAPAN.

THE PROJECT IS PART OF A LARGER MOVEMENT OVERALL TO BUILD PRODUCTS THAT INTEGRATE THIS TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CRAFT INTO THE MODERN FASHION ENVIRONMENT.