Chihonko_01

Put On The Past

Chihonko

微風吹拂,傳來草香,田野間蟲鳴伴奏,明媚的陽光透進屋內,照到質樸柔順的古布衣上,可尋的古服痕跡滲著淡淡的時代感,這些畫面使我對 Chihonko 充滿幻想。

「時尚是門藝術,但它是商業的;
手工是富創意的,是一個夢想。

我們要制止流行的時尚,它應該是一種表達自我的時尚。我希望所有的人,包括縫紉師、賣家和用戶,在穿上它時都能好好享受和感到快樂。」佐佐木洋品店的佐佐木太太(佐佐木千穂)解説著她的理念和期望。

Wind blows, bringing in the odor of grass and roots and the chirping of bugs and birds.

Bright sunlight dazzled the house, shining on the antique-cloth clothing where the sense of time, the past and present are woven deep into every warp and weft. This makes me think of Chihonko.

“Fashion is art, but also a business;
Handcrafting is creativity, and also a dream.

We need to stop fast fashion. Fashion should allow people to express themselves. I hope everyone, including sewers, sellers, and wearers, enjoy and feel happy about it,” said Mrs. Sasaki (Chiho Sasaki) of Sasaki Yohinten as she shared her vision and hope.

她回想小時候第一次看見(日本原住民族)阿伊努人的傳統服飾,覺得很美,長大後曾經一度忘記了,到現在製作作品時又再次記起這些靈感來源對於自己的創作有多重要。

佐佐木千穂很喜歡研究世界各地的傳統服飾,從中吸取靈感,然後設計成自家製的作品。

「我會形容我的設計是『以古布叠穿的衣服』,仿似是穿上某國家的民族服裝,甚或是武士的盔甲。」

She first came across the traditional costumes of the Ainu, Japan’s indigenous people,   when she was still a child. They were beautiful, she thought. But that memory didn’t stay long and was soon forgotten. It was when she created her own works later in life that the forgotten memory came back once again. She realized how important this memory is as an inspiration to her work.

Chiho Sasaki loves to study traditional costumes from around the world, and her creative designs often draw inspiration from them.

“My concept is ‘Clothes of wear in layers’ with old fabric. I make my works look like fictitious traditional costumes. It is like a national costume from a certain country or like wearing equip of armor.”

例如這件「四角衣」,意指方形,靈感來自日本武士的正裝;「我喜歡它和襯衫或連身裙一起穿搭,再配上植物染古布造的頭巾和腰帶。」

「我只會用來自歐洲和日本的古董布。是我先生佐佐木貢從日本和法國等地的古董布市場採購回來的,他對舊織物總是有著特別敏銳的眼光。」

佐佐木夫婦自2009年一起經營一家專門售賣歐美古著的店舖,直至2014年他們的兒子出生而結束。同年他們又開了「佐佐木洋品店」,太太研發各國傳統服的設計,先生就以手工重製古著工作服,名為Vintagecustoman

For example, 四角衣, which means square, is inspired by the formal outfits worn by Japanese samurai. “I like to wear it with a blouse or a dress, and match it with the turban and belt made of plant-dyed antique fabric.”

“I only use antique fabrics from Europe and Japan. My husband bought them from antique fabric markets in Japan, France, and other places. He always has a keen eye for antique fabrics.”

The Sasaki couple ran a shop from 2009 to 2014 selling European and American vintage clothing. It was closed when their son was born in 2014. And in that same year, the couple started Sasaki Yohinten where Mrs. Sasaki makes clothes inspired by traditional costumes, and Mr. Mitsgu Sasaki remakes vintage workwear with hand-stitching. His label is called vintagecustoman.

在佐佐木的家規中,佐佐木先生負責處理家務和網店,而佐佐木太太就負責照顧孩子和縫紉。

「有些衣物是我親手縫製的,我還有兩個助手,我們都是有小孩子的媽媽。我有兩個,一個7歲的兒子和一個3歲的女兒,假如我們的工作和孩子的活動重叠,就要停工,這是必須的,因為我們有著相同的難處,所以都會明白大家。而且我們每年都會放一個長暑假,因為我們也想和住在老遠的家人和朋友見面呢!」

It’s a rule in the Sasaki family that the husband handles all the housework and takes charge of the online shop, while the wife takes care of the children and does the sewing.

“I sew some of the clothes myself. I also have two assistants working for me who also have small kids. I have two kids; a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. If work plans clash with children’s events, the former definitely has to make way. It’s a must. We are all in the same boat, so we know well what each other has to go through. We take a long summer break every year, because there are family and friends who live far away that we want to visit.”

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不論是作為設計師,還是爸爸媽媽,人的生活本應如此吧!佐佐木洋品店只有網店沒有實體店,偶爾在不同地點,甚至在媽媽的家舉辦展示會或短期店,暑假時甚至會暫停網店。

就如「慢針黹牧民」的生活理念:「我們的祖先由遊牧生活,走到今天的遊牧主義,我們由原始浪人進化成未來主義的思想旅行者,為著不變的生活本質,用不同的方式延續下去。」

This is probably how life should be, regardless of being a designer or a parent. Sasaki Yohinten only operates online store without a physical location. Occasionally, they hold exhibitions or run pop-up stores at different locations even at her mother’s house. They even close the online store during summer vacation.

As if living a life of a slow stitch nomad, “Humans evolved from genuine nomad to futuristic nomad. Though the essence of life remains unchanged, nomadism is steering into brand new directions.”

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