Buy From BIPOC Interview
So excited to share my recent interview by @buyfrombipoc. It is an honor to be featured, and to be included in such a talented community of BIPOC makers!
Q: What inspires your work?
A: Made by Yuki was inspired by a strong urge to reclaim ownership of my Japanese heritage. I was born in Japan and moved to the U.S. with my parents at the age of eight. I spent 30 years in the U.S., mostly in New York City, before moving to Okinawa in 2017.
I had always been interested in making clothes and began sewing in earnest around 2018. As I began purchasing sewing patterns, I discovered a disturbing number of them were named after Japanese words, places and names. Each of these encounters was a painful reminder of the countless times I saw Japanese culture being commodified and sexualized in the U.S., and the resulting disconnect I felt to my heritage.
The most prominently misused Japanese word in the sewing and fashion industry is “Kimono,” which prompted me to examine Kimonos that were passed down to me from my paternal grandmother. I wanted to see if there were actual construction similarities, or any reason to warrant the appropriation of the word—and found there were none. This growing indignation inspired me to begin speaking out about it online, where I discovered a few others who had already begun doing so, including @little_kotos_closet.
At that point, I was receiving custom clothing orders from friends who urged me to start a business. At the same time, I had begun transforming some of my grandmother’s Kimonos into modern clothing for myself. Thus, I decided to create a clothing line that combines my passion for making clothes, with my love of Kimono textiles.
The Kimono textiles themselves provide me with endless inspiration. So much skill and wisdom go into creating the textiles, with designs that are richly infused with meaning. A big part of my platform is dedicated to explaining different types of Kimonos, as well as terminology, production methods, and symbolism of designs.
Q: What is your favorite piece in your collection and why?
My favorite piece is the Zero-Waste Kimono Dress, which was my first design. Traditionally, Kimonos are constructed from narrow bolts of silk that are cut into seven rectangular pieces, then folded and overlapped to fit the body. At any time, the pieces can be taken apart and sewn back together to accommodate weight fluctuations, or if the Kimono is passed onto another person with different height. This method does not produce any waste. As a nod to this zero-waste philosophy, the Zero-Waste Kimono Dress is made using the main body of the Kimono. The belt is made from the longest piece that makes up the collar. The boxy shape of the dress lends itself to a loose fit, highlighting the beautiful drape of silk. It’s also size-versatile and fits most bodies up to US 16. As a person whose weight fluctuates, I love being able to wear the dress at any time without feeling self-conscious about how it fits on my body.
Q: What’s something you love about your heritage?
As a former colonial empire, Japan’s history is riddled with atrocities. When I meet fellow Asian people, I am keenly aware of the relationship that existed between our ancestors. I do my best to live with respect towards history, and an awareness of my position in the imbalance of power that still exists in the geopolitical sphere today.
For me, the bright spot of Japanese culture is its unique aesthetics and rich history of traditional crafts. Both of my parents are artists and ceramicists, and many relatives on both sides are/ were artisans. Being able to work with traditional Kimono textiles fills me with so much pride.
Q: What is the size range of your pieces?
Most of the ready-made garments fit up to US size 16. I always keep a stock of plus size tops (2x/3x) and offer custom orders for extended sizes.
Q: Any styling tips for your pieces?
Mix and match colors, patterns, and eras! I love to wear traditional Japanese patterns with jeans or sneakers. Most of my pieces have minimal and modern silhouettes that lend themselves to be integrated with contemporary fashion.
Q: What is a social justice cause that you are passionate about that you hope people will get more activated in?
I believe that climate change is the biggest challenge confronting our planet today. Capitalism has resulted in depleted resources, wars, slavery, racism, and a world filled with mental illness. We need to deeply reexamine our values and habits so that we can begin consuming less materials and resources. I also think it’s important to uplift and learn from the voices of Indigenous leaders across the world. They urge us to realign our thinking to recognize that we (humans) are only one member of the family of creatures. There is an urgent need to begin treating Mother Earth with care and respect before it’s too late.