Kiryuyrik, renowned for its menswear that perfectly combines functional beauty, now offers children's clothing made with the same high-quality materials as its adult line. The collection includes three-piece suits, polo shirts, and T-shirts, all crafted to fit children's shapes and featuring the same rare textiles and materials as its men's line. We spoke with Kiryuyrik designer Shigekatsu Takayanagi, who says, "Fashion is something that is integrated into our lives." The impetus for launching the kids' line came from a request from a children's wear buyer at Isetan for the Spring/Summer 2002 season: "I wanted to make children's clothing with the same quality as adult clothing." Looking back, Takayanagi recalls, "From the very beginning, I wanted to make children's clothing with the exact same quality as adult clothing. So when I received the request, I first asked my usual sewing factory, 'Can you make a jacket in a smaller size?'" The arm size of children's clothing varies in size, roughly the same as an adult's palm compared to a child's hand. Additionally, because children only wear clothes for a short period of time, they are not always able to accurately express areas that are uncomfortable. "As a designer, I have to understand how children feel, so I studied a lot to get used to the size of the patterns," she says. She also observes her son's movements and range of motion when wearing kids' clothes, and uses this information in her design.

Continued in the second half.