interview
Chizuko Fujimoto
Developed a store called CHIFONDOUX on minne, selling a variety of Kimono Casual items with innovative and unique designs that cannot be found anywhere else.
Chizuko Fujimoto runs a store called CHIFONDOUX on minne, one of the largest online retailers of handmade goods in Japan.
“I want to bring out the best of kimono” she said repeatedly.
In this interview, Ms. Fujimoto talks about her past activities, the difficulties and particularities of remaking kimonos, and her future goals.
How did you start CHIFONDOUX？
——— What inspired you to start Kimono Casual?
Chizuko Fujimoto (hereafter, Fujimoto): Originally, I used to remake my own clothes for my children and remake trousers into bags and other items. I started kimono remakes because I had received many kimonos and wondered if I could turn them into clothes. At first, I made bags and other small items, but I wanted to bring out the best of kimono, so I started remaking kimonos into clothes.
——— How long have you been making these products?
Fujimoto:I have two children who are now 26 and 34 years old, and I have been making them since they were small, so I have been doing it for roughly 30 years.
What kind of products does CHIFONDOUX make?
——— What kind of remakes do you usually exhibit?
Fujimoto: We exhibit bags and other accessories, as well as clothes such as dresses, pants, and skirts.
——— Do you look at the dough before deciding what to make?
Fujimoto:I look at kimono patterns and think about how to make them look beautiful, etc., and then I create the work that comes to mind.
——— How often do you exhibit on minne?
Fujimoto：About one every two weeks.If I decide to make a dress, I sometimes make 3 or 4 dresses in 2 days.
What is the difficulty of remaking a kimono?
——— Are there any differences between regular fabrics and kimono fabrics, or when making them?
Fujimoto: Compared to ordinary fabrics, the needle does not go through the fabric when sewing.If the fabrics overlap, several needles can break.
So it is difficult to know how to shift and sew well.
Also, old kimonos smell quite a bit.I think it depends on how old they are and where they are stored.
I don’t think anyone would want something that smells or is unwashed.I wash them once to prevent shrinkage and also dry them in the sun quite a bit.
Commitment to Kimono Casual
— Is there anything you particularly appreciate about your current job?
Fujimoto: First of all, I myself must be able to continue to enjoy my activities.And,It’s about making the person who asked me to do it happy.
I feel encouraged and am more than happy when people say, “I like that.
——— What kind of work are you conscious of creating?
Fujimoto:When making them, I am especially conscious of how to bring out the best in the kimono, how to make the patterns and textures of the kimono look beautiful.
I also want to make something that no one else has made, something that is unique.
So many of the works are a bit different.
———When you make your products, do you think about what you want people of this age group to wear?
Fujimoto: I don’t really think about it because I want everyone to see it.We want people of all ages, including young people in their 20s, to wear our products.However, we only want to make it possible for people of all shapes and sizes to wear it.For those who want to have their clothes sized properly, we recommend that they also offer custom-made services to fit each individual’s clothing size.
Future goals as CHIFONDOUX
——— Do you have any goals or things you would like to do in the future?
Fujimoto: I would like to sell remakes overseas, because I can make innovative products compared to those sold in Japan.
It’s not easy, though, including how to use the application.Fujimoto: I would like to sell remakes overseas, because I can make innovative products compared to those sold in Japan.It’s not easy, though, including how to use the application.
——— Are there any problems you are currently facing in spreading the work overseas or in making remakes?
Fujimoto: I find it difficult to collect ideal kimonos because they are all the same. Basically, I remake kimonos from those that are given to me, but most of them are the same color, like black.
However, when we buy recycled kimonos for sale on minne, the price is inevitably high and no one will buy them. If we could collect more kimonos of various colors and patterns, such as gorgeous kimonos, we would be able to create a wider variety of items, and we would be happy to collect such kimonos.
At last
For this interview, we spoke with Chizuko Fujimoto, who has a store called CHIFONDOUX on minne and exhibits many Kimono Casual items, from bags and other accessories to dresses, skirts, pants, and other clothing items.
Mr. Fujimoto, who has created many novel and unique one-of-a-kind items, is considering new challenges, such as trying to sell his products overseas in the future.
You can find his works on minne (CHIFONDOUX’S GALLERY) and Instagram (chi_ko3Ryu), so please check them out if you are interested after reading this article.
If you have kimono left in your wardrobe, why not have your own one-of-a-kind Kimono Casual made?
Mr. Fujimoto, once again, thank you for allowing us to interview you.
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