Few traditional garments can evoke romance and drama quite like the kimono. The Japanese garb of choice for festivals and formal occasions, the kimono is, in its simplest iteration, usually a wide-sleeved, ankle-length robe held in place (always left side over right, except in death) by an obi belt tied at the back. Practically a form of wearable art, traditional kimonos are family heirlooms handed down through generations, handmade from the finest silk, and feature lovely prints depicting the seasons.

At Okaju, they specialize in creating exquisite prints using yūzen, described as the most beautiful form of dyeing in the world. Developed in Kyoto in the 17th century, yūzen is a paste-resist dyeing technique in which designs are applied on silk fabrics using stencils and rice paste, allowing for finely detailed patterned textiles that give the appearance of being hand-painted. Yūzen was an ingenious way to replicate the aristocratic brocades that commoners were not allowed to wear, and over time, yūzen itself has become a prestigious artisanal craft.

Founded in 1855 (the 2nd year of the Ansei era), Okaju began as a yūzen workshop, and today is regarded as the finest kimono fabric dyeing workshop in Kyoto. Shigeo Okajima, its fourth generation president, was immersed in the craft early on and has fond recollections of playing in the workshop as a child. “Even so, my grandfather always said, ‘Shigeo, you shouldn’t hold brushes although you [must] learn painting,” he reveals, already being groomed on becoming a producer rather than a craftsman.

Now at the helm of Okaju, Okajima shares, “I am devoting my passion to make textiles that are excellent in design.” He is committed to continuing the legacy of his grandfather in producing luxury kimonos, while rising to the challenge of attracting a wider audience by expanding their product lines and adopting new techniques.

The Imagine One World in Kimono project arrived like a gift, with Okajima recognizing that this was an opportunity to present the art of the kimono not just to the younger generation of Japanese, but to the world. The kimonos of Kyoto are known for their soft, elegant colors, courtesy of a unique yūzen technique called bokashi, which creates “beautiful blurs and color gradients.” But in seeking inspiration for bolder designs that would appeal to a younger, wider audience, Okajima searched through Okaju’s rich archives, and was drawn to a rare batik textile from Indonesia.

Okajima’s love affair with batik dates back to high school, when he chanced upon batik fabrics at an Asian shop. Fascinated by the exotic prints, began collecting batik. At the age of 30, he visited Indonesia for the first time and met with batik artists, further fanning his interest in their traditional hand-dyed textiles. It was also about this time when Okajima started to worry about the future of the art of kimono, as the 1980s saw the decline in the kimono as daily wear, relegating it to formal occasions. Seeing the shift in the market sparked his foray into experimenting with kimonos and Indonesian batik.