The hardest part of my job

...is cutting into a beautiful kimono or obi. With a kimono (such as the gorgeous one that arrived in the mail from Japan today), I put it on first, see how it looks in the mirror, then tell myself that far more people will be able to enjoy it once it becomes something different, such as a set of scarves. With every stitch I remove, I think about the artist who designed the pattern on the silk, and the hands of the person who sewed it together, as well as the woman who may have worn it. In some cases, the kimono I use are deadstock and have never been worn, so the only history they have comes from the hands of the creators, not the consumer.

New items will be available in May, as well as beautiful new photos.