1
We use wonderful traditional crafts that have not seen the light of day.
Instead of using new 【 resources 】, we will use the existing fabric(woven, dyed).
2
The kimono is one of the world’s most recognizable traditional wear and with good reason.
With its vibrant colors, intricate design, and long history, it’s no surprise that the kimono is one of the most iconic symbols of Japan. It used to be everyday wear for women up until the end of WWII.
In the modern age, however, it became rarely worn in favor of more western-style clothing. Today, the kimono is worn for special occasions such as weddings, funerals, summer festivals, etc.
As a result, many kimonos are left tucked away in warehouses, rarely or never to be used.
In order to preserve tradition and salvage what was left behind, we created Mahari.
3
Mahari was created with the aim of upholding and promoting eco-friendly Japanese traditional wear to the world by following the Japanese practice of “Mottainai”, which means “too good to waste”.
We combined traditional design with modern styles to make our clothing more practical and versatile for the everyday person.
The cut of the dresses themselves was inspired by the kimono - its signature wide sleeves, a wide sash around the waist, and hemline shape are evident in the design.
4
The dresses we make are 100% natural and made by experienced Japanese artisans.
We decided to reuse kimonos stored away in a historical clothing store, which has been around for over 400 years in Kyoto.
We made this decision to address one of the biggest issues in the clothing industry, which is fast fashion.
Fast fashion has become a booming industry in the past several years at a steep cost to the environment and human wellbeing.
Fast fashion’s negative impact on the environment is caused by the use of subpar material which degrades quickly and makes people discard their clothing at alarmingly fast rates.
Along with that, they often use cheap, toxic dyes that pollute the water, making the fashion industry one of the largest polluters of clean water globally.
To counter this, our company strives to use recycled materials and natural, non-toxic dyes to keep the environment clean and our community healthy.
Not only that, but our clothes are much more durable and high quality than the mass-produced clothing that is found in most shops, and in case of damage it can be easily and seamlessly repaired at your local tailor.
Our dress offers you a profound experience that comes from timeless and high-quality kimono materials powered by modern design and experienced artisans.
5
The entire production process is fully handmade from start to finish, including cutting, sewing, dyeing, and embroidery.
The silk embroidery was achieved with a technique called ‘Nihon Shishu’, a traditional Japanese handmade embroidery technique.
As for the dyeing of the silk itself, we use a traditional technique that has been around since the Heian period (794-1185).
We use natural dyes that are very environmentally friendly and last a very long time.
Fabric coloring nowadays is done mostly with machines.
However, we decided to go with hand dyeing because we want our customers to experience an authentic Japanese tradition.
Our clothes are one size fits all, and each dress has a sash or string for easy adjustment.
That being said, it doesn’t mean that they are all the same.
We make each dress by using a one of a kind kimono, therefore, each piece of clothing we make is unique and there is no same piece in the world.
Another great thing about our dresses is that they are 100% pure silk.
Wearing natural silk has numerous benefits of its own, such as its exceptional breathability, temperature regulation and its purported anti-ageing properties.
This chic and refined dress will surely bring you a sense of importance and empower you with confidence to fully express yourself in any situation.
The dresses are lightweight and breathable and can be used for any occasion - be it a formal event or as casual, everyday wear.
They also make the wearer feel more relaxed due to the natural feel and comfort of silk.
6
We offer two unique models in various colors that are inspired by the most famous Japanese goddess called Benzaiten.
In Japan, Benzaiten is a very significant and popular Buddhist and Shinto deity.
She is a goddess of love and luck, as well as knowledge and fortune.
She is the muse to all kinds of artists, and her blessings are sought by farmers hoping for a plentiful harvest, merchants hoping for good profits, and women hoping for success in love.
Because of Benzaiten’s significance and symbolism, we’ve decided to use her as an inspiration for the design of our dresses, with the hope to capture her true essence and spreading the love and luck her image offers.
7
Hi, I am Tomomi Oomori, The CEO and visionary behind Mahari.
After studying and graduating in fashion design, I joined the workforce at a clothing company.
However, I found myself disillusioned by the fast-fashion industry, its wastefulness and lack of heart, and decided to embark on a quest to create an environmentally friendly and meaningful brand of clothing.
While on my journey, I happened upon a traditional kimono store that keeps hundreds of kimonos for a long time at a warehouse in Kyoto.
There I decided to put the abandoned kimono to good use by creating a modern design of dresses that would appeal to the modern woman.
After a lot of tweaking, I finally created a unique design by blending traditional and modern styles into my work, thereby eliminating the downsides of a kimono and enhancing its benefits.
Now our clothes are sold in many prolific Japanese retail stores as well as in Paris.
Now we wish to share our creation with the rest of the world.
Aside from fashion design, I work as a tattoo artist at an ancient, historical Japanese temple.
I’ve been sharing my work on Instagram. And now, I have over 20K followers on Instagram.
Why a temple?
In Japan, tattoos are seen as taboo because of their association with the Yakuza, organized crime syndicates operating throughout the country.
But I believe tattooing the body is a beautiful form of self expression that I wish to destigmatize with my work.
To make the tattoos look pretty and unique, I use beautiful rainbow colors in my work.
If you want me to get your own unique tattoo done, send me a message.
(Due to high demand and the location of my workshop, it can take anywhere from 6 - 9months to book an appointment. )