Meet Sashiko Gals, the Women Stitching Japanese Tradition Into Your Sneakers

Sashiko, the traditional Japanese method of repairing and mending through embroidery, has long been part of the fashion conversation. Just about every major sneaker brand from Nike to Jordan Brand, Reebok and New Balance have paid homage to Sashiko. Recently, you may have noticed a handful of Sashiko creations going viral across social media, namely stitched up pairs like the Nike Air Rift and the Salomon Speedcross. But who are the makers behind Sashiko's new found popularity amongst sneakerheads? Meet, Sashiko Gals.

A group of 15 mothers residing in Otsuchi Town in Japan, Sashiko Gals was originally formed 13 years ago. Originally known as Otsuchi Sashiko, the group was a response to the great adversity caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. As a mark of resilience, the group formed to assist in the town's local reconstruction efforts, repairing items through Sashiko.

The group decided to hatch a plan to establish itself formally as a business in March this year and launched a crowdfunding campaign with hopes to raise 2.5 million yen. Standing on business, they exceeded their goal and their work has since experienced virality on socials.

For our latest installment of Baes with Kicks we caught up with Arata Fujiwara, a Sashiko Gals member, who spoke on the deeper meaning behind Sashiko, the group's plans for the future and more.

Name: Arata Fujiwara on behalf of the Sashiko Gals
Occupation: Sashiko artisans
City: Otsuchi Town, Iwate Prefecture

For those who are unfamiliar, what is Sashiko Gals?

Based on a project launched by women who lost their homes and jobs in the Great East Japan Earthquake 13 years ago, Sashiko Gals was launched in March of this year to further evolve the traditional Japanese technique and culture of Sashiko. In total the group has 15 members, who are women in their 40s to 70s.

13 years on and the work of Sashiko Gals is going viral on the internet, particularly featuring sneakers like the Nike Air Rift and various New Balance sneakers. How does it feel to receive this recognition?

To be honest, I am very surprised. I knew that Sashiko is now popular all over the world, but it is really amazing and pleasing to receive so many messages from the world every day.

The traditional Japanese art of Sashiko creates beautiful artworks but, on a deeper level, it also shines a light on the importance of preservation and minimizing waste. Is this a message you hope reaches people?

Absolutely. Sashiko was originally the wisdom to repair clothes that were torn or soiled and could no longer be worn. Due to the spread of the Japanese sense of beauty, it tends to be simply perceived as an artwork. However, we believe that Sashiko is also a very important technique for modern society in terms of giving new value to old things.

When repairing an item like sneakers for example, what is the typical process?

First, we check the materials and parts of the shoes and examine the areas where Sashiko can be used. Next, we decide on the overall design and do Sashiko a little at a time. During the process, we check the color, balance and other aspects of the design before completing it.

And the beauty of the process is that each finished product will be completely unique?

Exactly! As for the sneakers, a handful of which people may have seen online, they are entirely handcrafted by artisans with more than 10 years of experience, spending 20 to 30 hours per pair. I find it interesting that each artisan has their own personality, so the finish and speed can always vary. Each craftsman tries to make use of their own sensitivity in the Sashiko process, so no two pieces are the same. Some like it bright, some like it detailed and so on.

Do the Sashiko Gals have a close relationship with sneakers?

Yes. When we launched Sashiko Gals, our first idea was Sashiko on sneakers. Sashiko on sneakers has been around for more than 100 years when sneakers were called "tabi" in Japan. I think it would be very cool to Sashiko with Maison Margiela tabi boots.

If Sashiko Gals could collaborate with any sneaker brand, who would your choose and why?

We would like to collaborate with various brands without restrictions, but sneakers made of soft fabrics are preferred for ease of needle penetration. Also, I think collaboration is great work, but I also like to take care of my customers' precious sneakers and upcycle them.

For those who would like their item to be repaired by Sashiko Gals, how can they place their order?

Right now we are finishing up the orders we received in April through our crowdfunding campaign, so at the moment we are not accepting new orders for a while. The next order is scheduled around December, so we would encourage people to place an order at that time. We will announce it on Instagram when it's ready, so make sure you are following the page to be the first to find out all updates.

What are your hopes for Sashiko Gals in the future?

In the future, we hope to open stores with workshops in Tokyo and Otsuchi Town. Furthermore, our goal is to evolve the culture of Sashiko, so we will continuously challenge to progress the traditional concept of Sashiko. We hope that more people around the world will become interested in Sashiko and discover its tradition.

How do you think the traditional concept of Sashiko will shift in modern fashion culture?

We would like to further spread this culture to the world. We believe that culture needs to evolve with the times. There are many others who protect traditional Sashiko, so we want to be on the side of evolution. That is why we are challenging ourselves to create a design that is different from the image of Sashiko.

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