Annalie van Doorn

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Annalie van Doorn

Isshin Dōtai Exhibition

2025

Deep unity of shared essence with equal value

Isshin Dōtai embraces the equal importance of every element within the creative process. From the animal that provides the leather, to the artisan who crafts it, to the artist who reshapes it into something new, and finally to the viewer who engages with it. Each step hoIds the same hierarchical value.

This exhibition weaves together multiple dimensions. Where traditional fashion often separates 2D as research and 3D as the final garment, lsshin Dotai reverses that narrative: 2D pattern shapes are reimagined both in silhouette and as standalone art objects.

The forms are inspired by Japanese Kura, leading to a playful yet thoughtful series of fashion illustrations that culminate in the final jacket. Drawing from Japanese paintings and the historica! technique of Kinkarakawa – a cultural exchange between Japan and the Netherlands during the Edo period – a modern interpretation emerged. A new printmaking method was developed, merging contemporary innovation with ancient techniques such as embossing.

Selected works

Leather Fashion Illustrations

The illustrations reinterpret 2D pattern shapes as independent artworks. Crafted from leftover Japanese cow leather and hand-cut by hand, they combine texture, form, and illustration into layered compositions between drawing and sculpture. Created as first studies for the collection, they capture movement, shape, and construction while blurring the line between fashion research and art. What traditionally exists as preparation instead becomes a finished work itself.

Leather Wall Piece

The wall piece forms a material and visual foundation within the collection. Made from leftover Japanese cow leather and embossed by local craftsmen, it carries the tactile memory of craftsmanship and transformation. Its abstract form exists between sculptural object and material experiment. By transforming flat 2D patterns into an embossed sculptural surface, the piece explores texture, shape, and construction through leather as both material and image.

Takagi Jacket

The Takagi jacket evolves directly from the abstract wall piece, translating sculptural form into wearable expression. Crafted from leftover Japanese cow leather, embossed and double-glued entirely by hand, every contour preserves the texture and movement of the original surface. Merging 2D pattern shapes with 3D construction, The jacket transforms the abstract shape into a wearable sculptural form.

Kura Skirt

Inspired by the Japanese Kura and entirely designed and made by hand, the skirt is crafted from leftover Japanese cow leather and transformed through a self-developed print technique into a textured surface filled with movement and pattern. Originally intended for shoe production, the leather was split and reworked into a new printed material. Referencing the historical Kinkarakawa technique, the skirt combines traditional leather craftsmanship with contemporary surface experimentation.

Takagi Top

The top translates negative cut-out spaces into wearable form. Crafted from leftover Japanese cow leather, it features the same self-developed print technique as the skirt, bringing texture and depth across the surface. Echoing the illustrations, the garment reuses leftover shapes often considered empty or unused within the design process. Hand-constructed and carefully assembled, the top combines sculptural construction with a textured printed surface, bridging 2D shapes and 3D form.