Well… I was about to spend good time in bed to reply to the comments in the previous post. Then, I learned the may be used as the trademark for underwear… Let me spend time here instead of making replies. I cannot sleep without a word. As I have been mentioning, I am pretty flexible in understanding the Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko. However, this Kimono issue is absolutely NOT okay. In fact, this is exactly what I fear – and it also applies to Sashiko (there is always a possibility someone using Sashiko as their trademark to sell their unrelated items.)
☆
Please check @little_kotos_closet for understanding the overview. She explains well about the Cultural Appropriation in Kimono even before this chaos. Also, I recommend the powerful writing by @makikohastings that explained the frustration. Please read our website for my insight about the Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko – upcyclestitches.com
☆
As you may know already if you read our posts here in past, the Japanese used to live in a belief of Animism. Kimono is(was) merely a “Something to wear – clothing” when we categorize it, however, the Kimono carries the memories (spirit). Kimono is more than the clothing. It is who we were. Thousands of years of our clothing heritage cannot be overwritten by underwear brand. We need to raise our voices to protect the Japanese heritage – and unfortunately, the Japanese are SO BAD at opening their mouth. ☆
There are many names around Kimono – Juban, Furisode, Yukata, and many more. It is also important to share the information – as I do in Sashiko – so we all can be on the same page. I will either find the website in English or write it by myself. ☆
The photo is one of my treasures – a book published in 1948, about Kimono. We have been respecting the heritage so many years. Please. Please find another respectful name for your brand (to @kimkardashian ).
☆
これは良くない。「刺し子」という言葉の一人歩きが恐怖です。って言ってたのが数日前とは思えないほどに、「着物」という言葉が存続の危機にあります。俗に言うインフルエンサーが、自分の矯正下着ブランドに @Kimono と商標登録を取得しようとする動きがあるようです。米国のインフルエンサーなので、規模が半端なく、海外に出ると「着物＝下着」になる可能性があります。これは良くない。諸々日本語でも纏めますが、こんなことで着物文化が塗り替えられるのは嫌だ！
☆
写真の本は1948年、Keiichi Takasawa著書の英語の着物紹介書です。
☆
2019-06-26 23:28:04
@sashi.co ありがとうございます！感謝します！刺し子を皆んなさんに教えてくださってくれることは本当に素敵だと思います。
I fully support you! And you need to make your word heard somehow! One, despite being a celebrity or whatever/whoever, can’t just takes a catching word and use it for whatever one wants! Especially in this case as what she does (frankly speaking, I didn’t bother to have a closer look, but from the first glance it looks like a correction underwear) is in no way related/associated with kimono or anything even remotely associated with this authentic Japanese attire with a long and rich history! 😢 I wish you to succeed with your protective initiative🙏🏻
夜のニュースでやってましたー
🍀こちらのインフルエンサーに繋がる方へ、お願いします。
Facebook個人ページ 吉房 泰子 で、ツイッターでも抗議投稿を複数行なっています。
署名活動のリンクも添えています。どうぞFacebookツイッターでシェアをお願いします❤️
“kimono” deserves respect. It is aggravating and unacceptable for anyone to trademark it. Kim Kardashian is greedy and ignorant.
Underwear…seriously?! This is an outrage!
It is important for you to speak out. Before reading this I thought Kimono was simply a word for “robe”, or maybe “jacket.” Clearly that was an over-simplification, a sloppy translation. I will not buy this brand if she does not find a more suitable name.
Thank you so much for your work in this area – as soon as I saw the release I thought “she just hasn’t listened or learned to ANYTHING.”