Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No. 488

This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No. 488.

Todoay, we like to introduce some kimono magazines. Fashon magazines must be popular in any country and there must be many magazines for different generation and taste.

Kimono wearers in Japan are quite minor existence but there are some kimono magazines and I think they really changed the concept as our life style change.

They had this popular kimono magazine ranking, so I like to talk about them.

The magazine chosen as number one is Waraku:

和樂 2013年 04月号 [雑誌]

http://www.waraku-an.com/index.html

It has been first published in 2001 and their catch copy is `High life magazine of Beauty, Art and Heart'. Their topic is not only kimono but Japanese traditional things as tea cremony, kabuki, calligraphy, art and so on. They feature things which people in high society would like --- luxurious travel, fancy restaurants, art exhihibition and so on. The readers should be over 30 years old and have sublime kimono (we can imagine). Of course kimono are featured very often in this magazine. They say the magazine is for a real otona no onna(for mature women) who know authentic things and can appreciate real beauty and value. Kimono has been a topic in most of the time with this magazine. The kimono shown in this magazine are mostly from famous brand, by famous artist. 

The photos of this magazine is just so gorgeus and beautiful. Pelple say it is too good quality to call it a magazine. It is worth keeping this magazine for viewing for a long time.

Number two is Nanao:

七緒 vol.33―着物からはじまる暮らし 特集:「着物のリサイクル店」案内/雨コート (プレジデントムック)

http://www.president.co.jp/nanaoh/

Nanao has been first pulished in 2004. This magazine is for new kimono generation, I think. They show how to clean or take care of kimono and also introduce old and used kimono also. I do not think Waraku or Utsukushii kimono recommend old or used kimono(the readers of them probably just tailor kimono). Nanao readers are not just interested in fancy kimono but love to wear kimono in ordinry life also. So they often offer information of mending, how to look proper by using more simple method and so on. They show how to make easy obi and so on too. Obi made of fabrics from foreign countries are often shown also. In the recent issue, they are showing how to make a narrow obi with cross stitches. So Nanao shows more cross culture, adding some new taste. They show lifestyle with ordinary kimono, so it is not a magazine like a very fancy kimono catalog.

Number three is Utsukushii kimono(Beautiful Kimono). 

美しいキモノ 2013年 03月号 [雑誌]

http://www.hearst.co.jp/product/utsukushiikimono

They had 60th anniversary since they were first published. I remember seeing this magazine at my mother's friends's house. 

This has been the typical kimono magazine - models are so beautiful with very fancy hair style. Mostly kimono for parties and fancy gatherings are shown. (The hairstyle you can never do without the professional's help). They also show how to remake old kimono or obi but the original kimono and obi seem very good ones. Another magazine called ``````Kimono Salon also' is very similar. They show kimono for the occasions like`if you are invited to award presentation ceremony`, `if you are going to see an opera in Europe' and so on. I think for most people, it does not sound practical but still it is very nice to see famous beautiful actresses in fancy kimono, in a pretty garden or in a hotel banquet room. The photos of these magazines are gorgeous, we are often enchanted by the beauty- I noticed, fancy dyed kimono are just so photogenic. 

******This time, kimono and obi from our website are in Nanao magazine! They called and asked us to offer some kimono and obi selected by three famous stylists. They chose kimono and obi and cordinated nice example of going out kimono in spring. They chose three kimono webshops - we were chosen as one of them, here is the page:

We knew two of the stylists from before. They are always looking for kimono with unique and impressive design for their client for photo shooting of musicians or actors/actresses. It is one of the pleasure to see old/vintage kimono by unknown artist to debut and collect the attention of people of this era.