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Two Warkworth artists have taken up the challenge of repurposing old, worn-out kimonos and preparing them for use as costumes on major world stages.
Karen Williamson and Marianda Twydell had previously experimented with dying, pattern printing and undertaking stitch work on the traditional Japanese garments.
But the chance to take their kimono rehabilitation skills up a notch came when they saw a Facebook post from Noriko Collins, founder of Kimono Kollab.
Noriko is formerly from Tokyo but now lives in Auckland. Kimono Kollab specialises in “rebirthing” old kimonos – using the material to create entirely new kimonos or other clothing and accessories.
Kimono Kollab has been engaged by Haten Kohro – a Japanese grunge/metal band, which also incorporates martial arts and sword fighting into its performances – to provide repurposed kimonos for each of its nine members to wear on stage.
The band plays at Eden Park on Japan Day, March 3.
Karen and Marianda expressed an interest in creating two of the costumes for the band.
The women had to consider the needs of the particular band members they were creating costumes for. Karen is dressing a sword fighter and Marianda is dressing the drummer.
The women were each given an old white kimono and invited to cut it up into rectangles to remake it as they saw fit.
Marianda wanted a strong colour so that the drummer would stand out at the back of the stage and dyed her kimono indigo. She added red and gold feathers around the shoulders to fit the phoenix theme.
Karen made her costume stand out by using contrasting colours, including gold to represent the fire of the phoenix.
Following the Eden Park concert, Haten Kohro will take the kimonos with them on a world tour, which will include performing on major stages in China and Russia.
