Welcome to Kimono My House, named after the 1974 album of the same name by the band Sparks.
It's a funny name to choose for a fashion brand but my accountant suggested it in our first meeting together and it just stuck. As you've probably guessed I'm hugely inspired by Japan and especially the Japanese design aesthetic. I have collected beautiful silk kimonos for years but it wasn't until picking up a 1950's builders workwear kimono called a Hanten Jacket that it sparked me to design a collection of workwear style kimonos. It was a simple shape, indigo dyed with the builders logo and name printed with discharge dye - here is a photo of me in the vintage hanten.
Following an eleven year stint in the London luxury fashion scene I moved back to my home in Devon to be nearer to my family. The move happened in the madness of 2020 and it enabled me to have the head space and literal space to start Kimono My House. I was gardening a lot with my stepdad and found that my 'workwear' chore jackets actually made fairly useless workwear. The narrow sleeves and small pockets were impractical so when I got the Hanten jacket I realised what a perfect base to the designs it would be.
There are three styles in the collection, The Garden Kimono, The Studio Kimono and The House Kimono. All with their own unique shape and features but all designed as unisex garments and sized XS-L. They are made in dead-stock sourced fabrics which are painstakingly sourced throughout the year by myself. Using dead-stock fabrics is my way to limit the carbon footprint of the kimonos, they are made from fabric that already exists on this planet and transforming a forgotten roll into a beautiful garment is very rewarding.
As highlighted above, sustainability has a strong part to play in the Kimono My House ethos. The kimonos are all made in sustainable sourced fabrics that can be recycled. They come with a Sashiko repair kit to ensure that you can repair and look after your kimono, making it last a lifetime. I've designed these garments to be worn, looked-after, handed down and loved, whether that is in the garden, studio or house. I want peiple to be considerate when purchasing clothes so I stick to the mantra - Choose Well, Buy Less.
Please sign up to the monthly newsletter if you would like to stay up to date with future launches and offers. Each month there will also be a mini profile and interview with an inspiring Kimono wearer, if you would like to feature in this please email me at olivia@kimonomyhouse.co.uk.