kosaku matsumoto defies scale limitations with cascading hat
the outcome is a hat five times larger than the standard size, stretching the technical limit of craftsmanship.
japan braid hat is a styling company known for making sanada (braid) hats woven with fabric tape and natural grass straw, in a swirl-like pattern. unlike the ones made by sewing, they are seamlessly woven together and completely jointless. hence, the elegant simplicity of shape makes it possible to increase the hat’s scale — but how big can it really be?
image © nobutada OMOTE
for that, architect kosaku matsumoto has collaborated with japan braid hat MFG. CO., ltd. to challenge the very definition of a hat and what its limitation are. in other words, the work attempts to discover a new scale of functions and design possibilities for what is known as a blade hat.
image © nobutada OMOTE
the outcome of this experiment is a hat five times larger than the standard size, stretching the technical limit of the craftsman and extending the very definition of what this clothing item is. it has been expanded so much that the brim cannot bear its own weight, draping toward the ground to cascade and wrap the whole body of who wears it. like a coat, veil, or a small, sculptural tent, the hat gives various fluid impressions according to the way it is worn.
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
image © nobutada OMOTE
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