Debbie’s past fabric collections have been heavily inspired by Shibori, creating prints that are reminiscent of the technique but conveniently available off the bolt. Yukata is different – it is a reproduction line of vintage fabrics based on designs purchased on her last trip to Kyoto, Japan. It may come as no surprise that the word Yukata is the name for an unlined summer kimono.
In the fabric collection, there are eight naturally dyed prints in varying shades of brown and blue, for a total of 34 designs. The prints include a couple of different florals, a script print, some neutral linen textures, and fuzzy dotted shapes. The real star of the show is the Boro feature fabric, available in varying colourways. Boro is a traditional technique that dates back hundreds of years, and has a significant history in Japan with peoples of lower socioeconomic status—often peasant farmers and the impoverished. People would layer and patch worn fabrics to extend the life of textiles out of necessity to keep warm in low temperatures. These patches were sewn on with a running stitch called sashiko. The result is a dynamic, beautifully scrappy and visually pleasing aesthetic.
100% cotton
