STORY 1 着物物語 1
This tomesode was part of the trousseau of kimono that my mother had made for me when I got married. There were lots of bright and shiny ones, but I saw this one across the room and I pointed to it straight away. “I want that one”. It is quite subtle and subdued, not like most of them. But I really fell for it, so this is the one I had made. I was afraid that I would never wear it, because I don’t attend family weddings and I don’t think my son will marry. But I was involved in a group that did cultural exchange with university students from overseas. My assigned student was a German man. He had a girlfriend from the Philippines and I dressed her in kimono and now she loves it. Anyway, his friend from the Netherlands got married and asked me to attend the wedding. They asked me to wear this kimono. I have worn it once, so now I am content.
この留袖は母が持たせてくれた嫁入り道具の中の１枚です。この着物を選んだ時、他に華やかな留袖たくさんありましたが、部屋の向こう側からまっすぐに「あれ」と指をさしました。他のものと違って落ち着いた色合でしたが、ピンときてすぐ決めました。ただ、親族の結婚式もありませんでしたし、息子は結婚しないと思うので着る機会がないのではと心配していました。
そんな中、大学の留学生の交流の会があって、ドイツから来た学生と頻繁に会いました。彼のフィリピン人のガールフレンドに着物を着せてあげたところ、彼女は着物が好きになりました。また彼のオランダ人の友達が結婚式を挙げた時、私も呼ばれ、この黒留袖を着てくださいと頼まれました。一度着ることができたので満足です。
The Kimono Closet 