The assignment of designing the Kimono pattern was an extremely interesting challenge, as the kimono is a very traditional Japanese form of clothing. In my subsequent research I learned a lot about kimonos and their different varieties, such as Nami and Asanoha kimonos. I found out that each designer creates his or her own variation on the theme and that there is no one standard design,.

Combining the two materials supports both techniques and allows the patterns to be repeated and varied in an interesting way.

From a designer’s perspective, it has been wonderful to see the look of surprise and delight on the faces of passersby when they notice the new look of the Semba Center Building. Ishimoto’s architects have also told us that the textile merchants themselves are very happy with the end result, and some of the construction workers have even asked them for their autographs.