Isshin Dōtai Collection
2025
A collection born from a residency in Japan, where leftover leather met centuries-old craft.
Isshin Dōtai explores the equal value of every stage within the creative process, transforming leftover Japanese leather into sculptural wearable forms through handcraft, embossing, and self-developed print techniques. Inspired by Japanese Kura and the historical Kinkarakawa technique, the collection reinterprets 2D patterns and preparatory shapes as final garments, where texture, movement, and material experimentation become central elements of the silhouette.
The collection
The collection consists of hand-constructed pieces including the Takagi jacket, Kura skirt, Takagi top, and scarf, all crafted from reworked leather originally intended for other purposes such as shoe production. For the Kura skirt and Takagi top, a self-developed contemporary print technique was created by splitting leftover leather and transforming it into new textured surfaces through embossing and print experimentation.
The campaign, photographed by Abe Jinichiro featuring model Ayumi Suzuki, was set inside the Uniters Repair Centre in Takagi, Japan, a space dedicated to repairing and restoring leather products. Surrounded by traces of craftsmanship, repair materials, and color experimentation, the environment reflects the collection’s focus on transformation, sustainability, and giving existing materials a second life.