Designer Maiko Kurogouchi was inspired by her days travelling between the mountains of her hometown of Nagano and Tokyo, creating a collection meant to transcend the space between urban and natural realms. The brand called it a “vision of nature seen through a translucent veil.” That dream-like quality ran effortlessly through the carefully craft-focused collection.
Kurogouchi took Washi paper, cut it into motifs of wild mountain flora and hand-printed them onto fabric, for a soft, sophisticated effect on hooded coats and field jackets. There were sheer anoraks and capes, designed to evoke a transparent landscape, as if wildflowers were cloaked in frost, while the iconic cord embroidery was inspired by the accidental forms created through the cloth wrappings used to protect farming tools.
The palette leaned heavily into the natural world with various shades of green, inspired by fresh foliage, the shadows of trees through dense mist, and emerald green once used in Japanese glass converge, resulting in a hazy yet soft feel that ran through the collection.
Also new to the brand is a unique leather accessories collection created in collaboration with Japanese leather house, TSUCHIYA KABAN. The result was a bucket bag shaped in the brand’s signature cocoon silhouette, a leather vest that evokes the archetype of the school satchel, and cocoon-shaped carabiners.
Kurogouchi’s outerwear had a fresh, yet sophisticated quality, while the anoraks and pullover sweaters offered a sporty outdoor feel. The Mame Kurogouchi collection delivered highly wearable pieces, while staying true to their reverence for craft.
See the full collection below.
Luca Tombolini
