This kimono is very special to me. It is my best kimono for two reasons. It was given to me by a woman who took lessons from my mother. She is now in her 70s or 80s. She bought it for her daughter’s coming of age, but she has no use for it anymore. She saw that it is the kind of colours that I like, pink and turquoise, so she gave it to me. I love it because it is cute. It is quite different from the chic and dark kimono which my mother prefers. The second reason is that I was waiting to be able to do something with it, and then I was introduced to a kimono photographer, and he asked me to do a photo shoot. I used the paniers I had made for coming of age, and we did a rococo style kimono dressing using this. I sewed lace all around the bottom for the photo shoot. It is used in his book, so I am very proud of this kimono.

この振袖はとても特別です。私の一番大切な着物で、ふたつ理由があります。この振袖は母から着付けを習った人からいただきました。彼女は今７０代か８０代だと思います。ご自分の娘さんの成人式のためこの振袖を用意したそうなのですが、もう使う予定もなく、私の好きそうな色がたくさん使われているということで、私に譲ってくれました。私の母の好みの、シックで黒っぽい着物と全然違って、とても可愛いですので大好きです。

もう一つの理由は、この振袖で何かしたいと考えていた時、着物の写真家に紹介され、彼から依頼を受けて、このきものを使って写真を撮ったことです。成人式のときに作ったパニエを使い、裾には全部レースを縫いつけて、ロココ調の着物スタイルにしたものが彼の写真集に載ったので、とても自慢の着物です。