A summer kimono entrusted to us by a client, featuring a deep black color and the cool, sheer texture of sha (a sheer summer weave). Making use of the autumn grasses, such as susuki grass, dyed onto the sleeves and hem, we tailored it into a light, wearable Cha button dress. Despite its black color, it does not feel heavy, making it a piece that quietly blends into a summer evening.
Design decisions
The pattern of the original kimono was arranged modestly only on the sleeves and hem. We tailored it into a front-opening A-line silhouette to highlight the cool, swaying lines of the autumn grasses. The overall design has been kept clean so that the sheer quality of the fabric and the negative space of the pattern remain visible.
A clean V-neck and vertically aligned buttons tighten the impression of the black fabric. Worn simply as a dress or opened and worn as a light layer, the Cha button dress brings the comfortable feel of sha into everyday wear.
Fabric and tailoring
Sha is an extremely thin silk fabric worn in the height of summer. Although it is a deep black, the sheer weave allows light to pass through, and its dry touch creates a pleasant wearing experience.
The autumn grasses depicted on the cuffs and hem are a design traditionally used to wear a hint of the approaching season in the midsummer heat. We carefully checked the placement of the pattern so that this quiet aesthetic sense—feeling the presence of autumn amidst the humidity—appears naturally with the movement of the hem and sleeves.
The finished piece
When worn on its own, the sheer black fabric lets the breeze pass through and flutters softly with every step. You can deeply feel the serene coolness unique to sha, which is both calm and refined.
Worn open as a light layer, it becomes a graceful outfit suited for a terrace in the evening breeze or a summer outing. It has been finished into a Cha button dress that allows you to enjoy both styles naturally in modern daily life.
Remade patterns
