Kuden Project

Platform for KUDEN by TAKAHIRO SATO

Next Kimono platform is not only product but also has a role as social design to solve 2 social issue: Disappear Japanese traditional kimono culture and Lost high sewing technique for Japanese and Western. For easy to take kimono in daily life, it consists of 3 items. People wear both fullset as kimono and single with their usual outfit as daily clothes. As a trigger to wear it in world's daily life, Next Kimono makes demand for traditional one and jobs at fair wages for sewing factory. Final goal of Kuden is employment of disabled people include CEO's son.

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Next Kimono by Takahiro Sato

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Platform by Takahiro Sato

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Takahiro Sato Next Kimono

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Takahiro Sato Platform

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Takahiro Sato Interview

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Kuden Project Platform Press Releases

Press releases tailored for Kuden Project are available in the languages: English.

Kuden Project Platform Translations

We ensure Kuden Project is globally understood with translations available in these languages: Platform AF, Platforma SQ, መድረክ AM, منصة AR, Պլատֆորմը HY, Platforma AZ, Plataforma EU, Платформа BE, প্ল্যাটফর্ম BN, Platforma BS, Платформа BG, ပလက်ဖောင်း MY, Plataforma CA, Nsanja NY, 平台 ZH, Piattaforma CO, Platforma HR, Platforma CS, Platform DA, Platform NL, Platformo EO, Platvorm ET, Foorumi FI, Plate-Forme FR, Plataforma GL, პლატფორმა KA, Plattform DE, Πλατφόρμα EL, પ્લેટફોર્મ GU, Platfòm HT, Dandamali HA, הפלטפורמה HE, मंच HI, Platform HU, Platform ID, Ardán GA, Ikpo Okwu IG, Pallur IS, Piattaforma IT, プラットフォーム JA, Platform JV, ಪ್ಲಾಟ್‌ಫಾರ್ಮ್ KN, Платформа KK, វេទិកា KM, Urubuga RW, Платформа KY, 플랫폼 KO, Platform KU, Platform LA, Plattform LB, ເວທີ LO, Platforma LT, Platforma LV, Платформа MK, Sehatra MG, Platform MS, പ്ലാറ്റ്ഫോം ML, Pjattaforma MT, Atamira MI, व्यासपीठ MR, Платформ MN, प्लेटफर्म NE, Plattform NO, ପ୍ଲାଟଫର୍ମ OR, ਪਲੇਟਫਾਰਮ PA, سکو FA, Platforma PL, پلیټ فارم PS, Plataforma PT, Platformă RO, Платформа RU, پليٽ فارم SD, Tulaga SM, Платформа SR, Àrd-Ùrlar GD, Chikuva SN, වේදිකාව SI, Platforma SK, Platforma SL, Madal SO, Sethala ST, Plataforma ES, Platform SU, Jukwaa SW, Plattform SV, மேடை TA, వేదిక TE, Платформа TG, แพลตฟอร์ม TH, Platforma TK, Platform TL, Platform TR, Платформа TT, سۇپا UG, Платформа UK, پلیٹ فارم UR, Platforma UZ, Nền Tảng VI, Platfform CY, Platfoarm FY, Iqonga XH, פּלאַטפאָרמע YI, Syeed YO, Ipulatifomu ZU, 平台 ZY, Plataporma CEB, Kahua HAW, Platform HMN, Platform EN.

Kuden Project Platform Media Articles

Ready-to-feature articles on Kuden Project are available in these languages: English, Korean, Portuguese, German, French, Dutch, Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Indonesian, Italian, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Russian, Hindi and Spanish, for your convenience.

Unique Properties

KUDEN's Next Kimono platform is not only product but also has a role as social design to solve 2 social issues Disappear Japanese traditional kimono culture and Lost high sewing technique for both Japanese and Western. For easy to take kimono in daily life, it consists of 3 items. People wear both fullset as kimono and single with their usual outfit as daily clothes. As a trigger to wear kimono in world's daily life, Next Kimono makes demand for traditional kimono and jobs at fair wages for sewing factory.

Tags

social, traditional, kimono, apparel, branding, fashion, ethical, platform, solution

Production Technology

Nowadays kimono is known all over the world but on the other hand, the scale of Japanese kimono market is 1/10 compared to 35 years ago. Disappearing kimono as usual outfits, most Japanese can’t wear kimono by themselves.Also special technique to sew Kimono, Japanese dressmaking called Wasai is despairing. We need a policy to expand kimono market and make more demands of kimono and also remove the obstacle to wear kimono in daily life. So I design Next Kimono, no need special technique to wear, as new kimono platform and adopt custom order to consider working environment.

Design Challenge

Most difficult challenge is redesign as western dressmaking remaining attracts of kimono. Also finding material and sewing factory that can actualize the shape by western dressmaking was difficult. In addition, put high value how we are as brand, without lie to customer so we show the cost to customer for they understand how/what/to who their payment is used for.

Project Duration

First publish is on Kickstarter in November 2018 and produced Jacket first time in January 2019. Our partner sewing factory Marron went bankrupt in May 2019 and temporarily stopped production. It made our brand to go more Ethical brand and realize the importance of social design. KUDEN publish our cost to customer and keep 40-50% cost rate. In December 2019, released Pants.

Operation Flow

Next Kimono platform is a trigger to experience kimono in daily life and like it. To actualize it, Next Kimono doesn’t need special technique to wear, can wear 3 piece as kimono and also single with ordinary outfits. It makes it to wear and go in kimono for more opportunities. Redesign kimono but also remain the attracts of kimono like Miyatsuguchi, unique sleeve shape. Also Next Kimono platform is 1 design and long life design, it means we don’t follow the trends. It has a function to improve the working environment and efficiency of production and finance because the sewing factory can continue to sew same pattern, it means they accumulate the technique and increase their skills.

Research

Focus on the fact that kimono is long life design & 1 design (fashion platform) continued 400 years ago in Edo period. I consider kimono as a platform, to make it suitable for modern daily life all over the world, I redesign as Next Kimono platform. To bring kimono now recognized as expensive clothes only for special day back to daily outfits. Wear without special technique, 3 piece set design to wear separately, actualize affordable price by adapting western dressmaking. Increase the demands of kimono, expand kimono market to the world, it connects to make interests for traditional kimono and Wasai (Japanese dressmaking) . The artisan of wasai decreases and even have to close their company because of diminishment of kimono culture. Even they have, it’s a low wage. Japanese dressmaking needs more time to make a clothes compared with western dressmaking so it can’t expand the market in short term. So I adapt western dressmaking for first step to expand kimono market and connect to employment of disabled people. Our final goal is actualize employment of disabled people with sewing factory and artisans. But we can’t start with Japanese dressmaking first because of reason above so we try to make demands for kimono with western dressmaking factory and connect this activity to our final goal. Also we have another approach as Ethical brand for environment, not only for working. We sell the vintage haori and kimono too. Mass production over our demand makes excessive stock in result, The brand that worry about be damaged by sold cheap price dispose their stocks to protect brand’s value and profit. This is the current situation for apparel world. They are too much burden on natural environment.In Japan, distribution stock that bankrupt company left in those history and closet stock lost balance between supply and demand.There is $30 billion closet stock, it 20 years worth of kimono demand. Only those stock can do is waiting for disposal. KUDEN think ethical has to be sustainable, consideration for environment to produce products long time. Not only produce new product like that, Also keep using already on market or you have with thanks to environment and producer, not disposal and throw away immediately is important sustainable approach for KUDEN.

Inspiration

When I sort through my mother's effects, I found her kimono. I remember my childhood kimono memory with mother and felt I want to wear kimono but can’t because I don’t know how to wear. I realized kimono culture will disappear if it keeps going. It’s my first inspiration. Also the reason I start brands, I have a son with disability and from my experience that involved in employment for disabled people, saw the product they make, I decided to make the place that people like my son works with joy.

Image Credits

Photographer: Nobuyuki Arai, Mance Thompson, Serene Mangmati, Takahiro Sato

Project Overview

Kuden Project Platform has been a Iron winner in the Social Design award category in the year 2019 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

Iron Recognition

Takahiro Sato was recognized with the coveted Iron A' Design Award in 2020, a testament to excellence of their work Kuden Project Platform.

Takahiro Sato Press Releases

For journalists seeking engaging content: Explore our press releases featuring Takahiro Sato's work, freely available for incorporation into your stories. Journalists can access 1 press releases immediately, ready for your use.

KUDEN Unveils Next Kimono Platform by Takahiro Sato

KUDEN introduces the Next Kimono Platform, a social design aimed at preserving Japanese traditional kimono culture and sewing techniques while providing fair employment opportunities. This innovative platform reimagines the kimono for modern daily wear, addressing social issues and promoting ethical fashion.

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