On July 19th, the TAKE ACTION FOUNDATION, headed by former soccer player Hidetoshi Nakata, held the REVALUE NIPPON PROJECT CHARITY GALA 2014 with GUCCI, an event to reevaluate Japan's traditional crafts, culture, and techniques.

The REVALUE NIPPON PROJECT is a project launched in 2010. Each year, artists and designers from a variety of fields collaborate on a different theme, such as "ceramics" or "washi paper." This year's theme was "katagami," and five teams, including product designer Toshiyuki Kita, exhibited their works.

Gucci, which served as the main sponsor again last year, co-created two collaborative items: the "Lady Lock" and the "New Bamboo Bag." These pieces incorporate the intricate carving techniques of Ise Katagami and the leather crafting techniques of Koshu Inden. They combine black deerskin with CG patterns and the finest calf leather, and the Lady Lock bag features a luggage-style metal closure as an accent.

Pre-orders for the New Bamboo Bag will be available at Gucci Ginza from August 30th. 20% of sales will be donated to the TAKE ACTION FOUNDATION to support traditional Japanese crafts.

Other exhibits at the venue included the "Katagami Bicycle," a collaborative work with Shinya Shirasu and others. This work utilizes the techniques of Ise Katagami, the British inventor of the prototype for the modern bicycle, and symbolizes the project's aim of creating new value in traditional crafts through collaboration.