‘kimono chaise’ made from nishijin silk obis, fiberglass, foam, solid walnut image courtesy of kimono new york kimono new york is dedicated to promoting the use of kimono and obi fabrics for furniture finishings. their mission is to help sustain and support the tradition of kimonos and the intricacy of hand-woven silk which is fundamental to japan’s cultural heritage. the company is trying to encourage the japanese to wear the kimono and also want to introduce americans to the timeless beauty of kimono and obi fabrics through furniture.

the company has sent us images of their recent collaborative projects with designer william gordon. his two designs, ‘kimono chaise’ and ‘hakama chair & ottoman’ incorporate sweeping lines and sloping forms which have been upholstered in traditional japanese kimono fabric.

the kimono: a new idiom for the chair ‘hakama chair and ottoman’ made from nishijin silk obis and solid walnut image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chair‘hakama chair and ottoman’ unupholstered image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairimage courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairdrawing out a stencil for the bent wooden frame of the chair image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairinspecting the bentwood legs image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairupholstering a chair with silk obis image courtesy of kimono new york

an obi is the broad sash that ties a kimono together. nishijin weavers are renowned for their craftsmanship and elaborate designs which were originally created for the nobility that patronized them over the centuries when kyoto was the capital of japan. the ‘kimono chaise’ and ‘hakama chair’ are both upholstered in these traditional fabrics.

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairupholstering the ‘kimono chaise’ image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairhand-sewing the upholstery together image courtesy of kimono new yorkthe kimono: a new idiom for the chairthreads are dyed and prepared for weaving on a power loom image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chair nishijin weaving style utilizes variously dyed yarns which are woven to create complex patterns image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairanother design depicting images of japanese life image courtesy of kimono new york

the kimono: a new idiom for the chairornate and metallic textile design image courtesy of kimono new york