Boro Boro

I've had people asking for the last few years if I'd ever consider teaching a class and it was one of my goals at the beginning of this year to develop some courses. After a lot of legwork, I'm thrilled to announce that its finally happening and I have two new courses I'm thrilled to launch this week!

First off, on August 24th I'll be teaching an online course that is an overview of kimono history from ancient times to today! This 3 hour lecture style course will give you a solid base on how the kimono has evolved as a garment through time and how it continues to evolve in current society. This one will be hosted on zoom, so I'm looking forward to hopefully meeting students from a variety of locations! :)

Secondly, an in person workshop to be offered September 15th hosted at , an amazing new craft studio and makers-ace in Little Tokyo, Downtown LA. We couldn't be more excited to collaborate with another fellow AAPI female owned business for this workshop! I'll be teaching an overview of how to mend and repair your own clothing and textiles with visible mending techniques and vintage Japanese fabrics. Students are encouraged to bring their own items from home that they'd like to repair and patch and I'll be bringing my stash of vintage fabric scraps for you to use! All students will go home with a kit of sewing supplies and indigo patches to take home with them to continue on their mending journey!

Signups available now on our website, but spots are limited, so claim your spot soon! To book, click on "Events" at shopboroboro.com!

Last but not least, Erin () did an amazing job closing the show! Her vibes on the runway were 🧨

This gorgeous antique meisen silk kimono was another one I picked up during my recent trip to Tokyo in May! I absolutely adore the bright colors and bold pattern of maple leaves and clouds.

The obi is an absolute antique dream and was also grabbed on the same trip! I knew when I saw it that this would be a stunning pairing on the runway!

For accessories, I used an antique, lavishly embroidered gold haneri, a mustard silk chirimen obiage, and a red and gold silk braided obijime.

Erin just happened to have these black and yellow docs that went perfectly and I'm convinced that this means this was destiny!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

Cindy () modeled two haori and had to walk down the runway twice! Her blue hair and punk rock style were such a vibe combined with my vintage haori!

The first haori pictured is an antique silk plaid haori that totally looks like buffalo plaid!

The second haori was a coral and black silk crepe haori with a bold tiger-like stripe pattern throughout.

Cindy's black corset, ripped jeans, boots, and belt made the perfect base to show off these haori!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

Gabriel was actually a later addition to the lineup! As I was lining everything up I realized I had room for one more male kimono look, and luckily he was available and interested!

I wanted to do a most causal styling on this bold black and turquoise yukata by pairing it with a hoodie! Its a style I first saw in a kimono shop in Tokyo and really love how it makes kimono more casual and accessible. I was thrilled when I found this awesome tie dyed hoodie that perfectly matched the color of the yukata.

Because its a fashion show I went with a shiny obi (cuz fashion) and landed on this black silk and metallic gold mens obi with circular pine motifs throughout. Paired with some classic black and white checkered vans its a super cool casual yukata look!

I think the audience took a minute to realize that it was a hoodie underneath, but when he turned around I definitely heard an "ooh" as people noticed it!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

It was really no contest, Andrew () was the fan favorite for the audience! The amount of cheering when he walked out was wild!

For this look, I wanted to do my version of a modern formal mens look, kind of a flashy kimono tuxedo if you will.

I saw this sparkly pinstriped mens kimono and haori set in Tokyo during my trip last May and originally walked away from it because it was a bit spendy. I ended up going back the next day for it though because I couldn't stop thinking about it and I'm so glad I did! The woman who worked in the shop told me that older guys like to wear these kind of sparkly kimono sets to go perform at karaoke and I am HERE FOR IT. 😂

Anyway, Andrew wore his own white dress shirt and tie underneath the kimono, and I dressed him in these gorgeous silver and black striped hakama on top which caught the light beautifully. (Another Tokyo trip acquisition!) A burgundy silk obi and black dress shoes completed the kimono tux look!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

My friend Elaine () modeled this modern street style take on formal kimono that layered kimono over a Western style skirt.

This gorgeous vintage silk kimono has a scattered pattern of hand painted cranes throughout and was a great contrast for the pleated metallic gold skirt peeking out at the hem.

To play off of the skirt I went with a flashy gold and silver metallic fukuro obi with a dramatic wave pattern. I did a freestyle obi musubi in the back with a rose and asymmetrical bow.

Accessory wise, we decided to play with pale green since that is the color of the kimono's lining. I used a pale green shibori obiage, pale green and gold obijime tied in a flower, and a gold metallic date eri collar. Her gorgeous black boots and jewelry completed the look!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

I'm still not really sure how I talked my fancy friend into being one of my models for this (look him up, he's an Emmy award winner!), but I feel so lucky to have such a lovely and longstanding friend! We went to college together and have been friends ever since! 😊

We both share a big love of workwear and indigo so I knew indigo was where we needed to go for this! (I believe "a vision in indigo" was how I described it in my pitch lol) This is probably the look that is closest to my own personal daily style. 😅

I made these indigo Boro patchwork style pants from a pattern I developed myself. I used an old futon cover as a base, and added hand stitched patchwork throughout to add detail. They have the perfect lantern style leg due to stitched tucks on the sides at the hem, an elastic waist (for maximum comfort!), and deep pockets. I have been making these pants for myself in a few fabrics and ADORE them. I might make some for the shop at some point if there is interest!

This vintage hanten jacket has a gorgeous family crest on the back and just the perfect amount of wear. It looked great with Dan's vintage tee, hat, and worn in leather boots!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

When I first met Madelaine () she did not have this hair color! She was down to dye it whatever color would go with the kimono we chose and what an amazing collab it turned out to be! Her blue hair matched this ensemble perfectly and her stage presence on the runway was 🔥

The kimono is an antique vivid purple meisen kimono with a bold abstract floral pattern throughout. In order to pop the black leather chain belt (used instead of an obijime), I kept it simpler with the obi by using this solid vivid blue silk obi with a fine woven checkerboard pattern.

Other than the belt, accessories included a bright turquoise obiage and an antique black silk crepe haneri collar that is embroidered with tiny flowers. Her chunky boots completed the look!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

I can't say enough lovely things about my friend Travis ()! Not only is he an incredibly talented tailor and maker who does amazing rescue work with animals in Cuba but LOOK AT THAT BLUE STEEL MODEL FACE!

I found these blue cotton hakama during my last trip to Japan in May (likely originally used for martial arts like akido) and thought they looked like a kimono version of a perfectly worn in denim pant. I paired them with this vintage indigo kasuri noragi (still in the webshop!) with a fine dash pattern and a vivid royal blue silk tsumugi mens haori.

The hanhaba obi underneath is brown silk with a black speckle pattern. To tie it in, I also accented the collar of his juban with an antique brown and black striped cotton haneri. It all came together great with his combat boots!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

My girl Paulina (.ca) was the very definition of fierce going down that runway!

This stunning vintage meisen silk kimono has a bold Igeta (hashtag, intended to look like a well) pattern in hot pink and turquoise and is actually one of the few pieces from the fashion show that is still available in the webshop!

I bought this vivid blue and hot pink obi during my last trip to Japan in May and knew it would be perfect for the runway with its bold Tsubaki (camellia) pattern.

I decided to lean into the color palette with a bright blue obiage (tied into a cute bow) and a hot pink and gold obijime which we tied in a flower design. Studded booties and some dramatic blue spike hoop earrings to complete the look!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

I am admittedly a real sucker for a good pair of hakama and Victoria () did an amazing job modeling this look!

These absolutely gorgeous hakama have an ombre from hot pink at the top fading to a deep berry pink at the hem. They also have a woven pattern of yabane (arrow fletching) which really catches the light!

I doubled down on the yabane theme (one of my favorite patterns) by pairing it with a blue vintage Hitoe kimono that has a version of the same pattern. Peeking out you can see the teal and magenta hanhaba obi underneath which has a woven karakusa (arabesque) pattern.

Her chunky black boots were the perfect compliment!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

Third to walk was !

Cate's personal style is super kawaii so I thought this hot pink number would be fantastic on her, mixing her kawaii and my punk rock styling. 🤩

This vintage meisen kimono has a bold brushstroke grid and flower pattern in black throughout. It made the perfect pairing with this gold and silver hanhaba Ichimatsu (checkerboard) obi! I used a studded belt instead of an obijime and pulled the collar back extra low in the back to give it some rock n roll swag.

Second to walk was my dear friend Priscilla ()! She did an awesome job doing double duty, walking down the runway twice in two different haori!

The first haori is a lovely shibori haori in red and black with jagged lines and diamond leaf patterns.

The second haori is a stunning vintage emerald green silk haori with a black floral vine pattern and stunning woven metallic urushi (lacquered) threads.

Her own fitted tank, faux leather leggings, and boots made the perfect base to show off the vibrant colors of the haori.

Sorry folks, both haori have already sold but you can still enjoy these pics! :)

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From the Fashion Show 2024

Here we gooo! I've gotten all of the photos from the fashion show and wanted to share some of my favorite pics from the show as well as more details on everyone's 'fits!

kicked it off as the first to walk down the runway and you could literally hear the audience gasp when she came out! This was her first time wearing kimono (aside from our fitting) but she looked like an absolute pro out there on the runway.

This vintage red and black silk kimono features an abstract pattern throughout that reminds me of leopard print! I paired it with a contrasting vintage black silk faille Nagoya obi with a cute flower and grid pattern and silver accents. Accessories included a black and gold Ichimatsu (checkerboard) haneri collar, black and white striped obijime, and a black silk obiage with gold foil accents. Her own boots, earrings, and rings completed the look!

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From the Fashion Show 2024

Some exciting news to announce!

In addition to our vintage items, I have been experimenting more with upcycling vintage Japanese fabrics into low waste garments and I’m thrilled to announce a new addition to our line of hand made goods: tengui towel tops!

These are made from vintage tenugui towels, which are lightweight cotton towels that are popular in Japan. They feature a loose, boxy cut with gathered sides that is flattering on a wide variety of body types. I made one of these for myself that I’ve been wearing everywhere, its breezy and the perfect summer top!

They are all 100% hand cut and sewn by me from a pattern I developed myself. The pattern is designed to minimize waste and make as much use as possible of the narrow width of Japanese fabrics.

The tenugui towels I used for this top are from a bulk lot I came across and were originally from a senbei (rice cracker) shop in Northern Japan. (original towel pictured in the 4th pic) I happened to get a large lot of of towels in this same design, so I have made a limited run of these tops with this specific design and pattern arrangement.

Each one is one of a kind and hand made from vintage fabrics so once this limited run is gone that's it!

Click the link in our bio for "New Arrivals" to see more info!

Just got back from our first day of loading in at the LA convention center for ! What a massive space, I feel like its going to be a wild week!

If you’ll be there, please come say hi! We’ll have a booth in Kentia Hall, Booth #517 (on the right hand side against the wall, just in front of the entrance! I’m bringing a selection of vintage including haori jackets, yukata, obi, and more!

Shopping hours:
Thurs, Fri, Sat - 9am-6pm
Sun - 9am-3pm

I did some buying on my trip to Japan back in May and I've finally managed to get it all inventoried, photographed, edited, and listed online for you all! Here are some shots of some of my favorite pieces in this drop. Some real stunners!

If you're interested in any of these pieces, place your orders asap! We're loading in at Anime Expo early next week and anticipate some big crowds, so no guarantee that things will be in stock a week from now!

I had the best time curating these finds for you! Hope you find a new textile you love! 😊

To see these new finds, click the link in our bio, or head to www.shopboroboro.com and select "New Arrivals - Japan 2024" in the menu under "Shop"!

All this prep for our upcoming fashion show at Anime Expo has me thinking about our last fashion show! Pictured here, me and my awesome models from the fashion show at PMX 2022. So much fun!

Oh hey, what a cute surprise in this haori lining!

Exciting news! We have been selected as one of the featured brands at this year's fashion show at ! I'll be showcasing a variety of modern street fashion looks using my collection of vintage and antique kimono and haori.

We'll be joined by:vanilnaoto_official
miyabi.co

Host:

If you're going to be at the event, come see us on Sunday, July 7th from 12-2pm in Petree Hall! We will also have a booth in Kentia Hall (Booth #517) where we'll be selling a selection of vintage kimono, yukata, haori, and more!

If you won't be there, you can tune in via the livestream remotely if you'd like to watch the fashion show! I'll share the link when I receive it.

Come visit us at our Open Studio event this Sunday, June 16th from 12-5pm! Our studio is located in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles at:

3342 Hamilton Way
Los Angeles, CA 90026

This time we will have a rack of brand new stock I brought back from my recent travels in Japan! Come get first dibs! We will also have our full inventory of both vintage Japanese textiles and upcycled hand crafted goods, including a few left of our brand new tennugui tops!

We will be hosting four guest vendors this time also! Sea & Sky and Dye4U will be joining us again, bringing a wide range of hand dyed and painted clothing. Joining us for the first time is M Leigh Studios and Pink Door Store, who are both talented artists and printmakers who will be bringing an assortment of hand made prints and paper goods!

Keep in mind it is an indoor/outdoor event so please dress accordingly! Street parking on Hamilton can be limited so I recommend parking on Sunset or Micheltorena and walking around the corner!

Shop small and come support local designers and makers!

Follow them on IG below:shopleigh.studio

workin the runway in these incredible metallic hakama!

Photo by from our fashion show at PMX in 2022.

The lovely looking fabulous in these purple hakama! Coming soon to the shop!

New haori dropping in the shop this week! A rather eclectic mix this time including some gorgeous urushi, kasuri, shibori, and more!

Click the link in our bio to see what's new!

What an honor to see the legendary wearing one of our vintage kimonos in quite a pivotal scene in the series! This was a seriously stunning vintage sky blue furisode with a pattern of peonies throughout in white, pink, and gold.

Thank you to , the costume designer of "Palm Royale" for keeping us in mind for this visual feast of a show! Streaming now on Apple TV.

After unfortunately getting rained out last month, we’ve rescheduled our Open Studio event for Sunday, June 16th from 12-5pm! Our studio is located in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles.

We'll be posting the address the day of the sale on Instagram, or if you'd like the address ahead of time please DM or email us directly to RSVP!

Our Open Studio events are the one occasion where we have our full inventory of both vintage Japanese textiles and upcycled hand crafted goods in one place, since we can usually only bring a limited amount of stock to outside markets.

We will be hosting four guest vendors this time! Two of the vendors (Sea & Sky and Dye4U) will be joining us again, bringing a wide range of hand dyed and painted clothing and home goods. Joining us for the first time is M Leigh Studios and Pink Door Store, who are both talented artists and printmakers who will be bringing an assortment of hand made prints and paper goods!

Shop small and come support local designers and makers!

Follow them on IG below:shopleigh.studio

Love this shot of .gracious_ taken at the Huntington Library in Pasadena! We went for afternoon tea in yukata and had a great time walking around the grounds. This dramatic arch was the perfect frame for this cute yukata combo!

Happy Textile Tuesday! I've still got indigo on the mind, so lets talk about Arashi shibori today!

Arashi shibori is a technique where the fabric is wrapped around a pole, which is then wrapped with string or rope in a spiral pattern. The parts covered with string create the striations you see here. Depending on the size of the pole and how tightly it is wrapped it can create all types of variations in patterns with this technique.

The first two images of some arashi shibori panels we have listed in the shop. The third image is an Arashi shibori panel I dyed in Japan! You can see how the fabric is wrapped and compressed in the top of the image.

Thanks so much to everyone who came out yesterday to .market! We had great weather and it was so fun getting to chat with you 🙌

Also I was excited to sport my new hanten jacket I made during my time in Japan! I dyed it in indigo (including the katazome on the collar!) and sewed it completely from scratch by hand including the patchwork and embroidery on the back! 😵‍💫 A lot of work but I’m happy with how it turned out!