There was a one day break for Pascale which
allowed her a little one day trip to Tokyo! I had quite fun with her, together
we walked around Tokyo, looking for used
Japanese clothes that she loves. Mizuki gave us information of shops near
Tabata station(Yamanote line) and Ogikubo station(Chuo line).
Here and there, she founded beauty in
unexpected places. I was impressed to see all the used kimono fabrics, some are
torn off, some are kept as they are, waiting to be given new lives. Things for
some people are useless, are waiting to be found, to be given new meaning, new
lives. We tend to forget that in our lives we are surrounded by so many
beautiful things. I remember Susan Cianciolo often told me the same thing.
On the 6th workshop day, we
visited a village which is 30 min. by local train from Mito and then, almost 20
minutes by taxi. Which means it is a village that is quite away from busy, fast
town. The place that gives us indigo die experiences used to by factory of
indigo fabrics but it is now closed. Two old women guided the basic indigo
dying technique. I joined too. Some people tried to design with image they want
to have as a result in their head. I had no image but I just tried. Dying is
thrilling since you never know how it comes out. After trial time, when
everyone had their piece finally hang on a bar, the old women guides were so
excited to see what they have made. “How exciting! We do not see these kind of
result normally. You did have these results in your first time! We want to have
you as a guide teacher next time!”
Those were not flattering words, those are
just honest reaction. Different individual pattern were completed. This
experience in the middle of the uniform workshop, must have been a good switch
and change for them to before starting really devoting time in actual making
process of uniform.