Mame Kurogouchi presented its Spring/Summer 2024 collection in Paris.


For the Spring/Summer 2024 collection, the first since consolidating pre-collections into the main collection and transitioning to a twice-yearly presentation schedule, Mame Kurogouchi visited Arita Town in Saga Prefecture and listened closely to the dialogue between past and present ceramicists regarding their craftsmanship through fragments of early Imari ware, which harbor memories of the dawn of Japanese porcelain in the first half of the 17th century. Mame Kurogouchi then translated the stories that emerge from the gap between these fragments of memory and the porcelain base into clothing.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
Kurogouchi is fascinated by the way the rich craftsmanship created from the techniques brought by potters from the mainland has, over the years, been shaped into unique clay by the hands of domestic potters. Guided by contemporary artists Yamamoto Ryohei and Hirakura Yuki of the Komononari Kiln, who attempt to embody early 17th-century Imari ware, and Hamano Mayumi, whose works echo the early Iroe style that began in the mid-17th century, Kurogouchi revisits the decades-long history of early Imari ware's rise, learning about the Japaneseization and individuality of its style, as well as the trial and error behind it and the perspective on everyday life that blue and white porcelain paint conveys. The juxtaposition of past and present, based on archaeological research and dialogue, germinates in clothing and is incorporated into this season's diverse styles.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
The white, ecru, and mint green fabrics in various tones and textures are inspired by the pale tones of early Imari ware, which were born out of the trial and error process of creating the "white" base color that potters of the past longed for. These fabrics are expressed with a coolness rich in emotion and are the key colors that adorn this season's collection.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
The glassy, translucent glaze that entangles the base, exuding a soft glow, is transformed into a lustrous sheen in the sheer lame magenta series, enveloping bare skin as if the glaze were flowing. Short blousons and long gilets featuring striking unevenly dyed jacquard, and asymmetrical dresses featuring hand-tied dyeing, evoke the image of a landscape emerging hazy from beyond the glaze. "Relief engraving," a distinctive technique seen in early Imari ware, is another key element that gives the collection its unique shape. Inspired by this technique, which involves pressing a patterned mold onto the surface to create a raised design, several pieces are adopted as the collection's signature technique, resulting from Kurokawachi's attempt to "transform pottery into clothing." Using a special embossing technique, original floral motifs literally emerge on denim pants, denim jackets, oversized silk-cotton dresses, and shirts, creating a quiet, free-flowing, and dynamic effect. The tactile relief of the relief not only connects to floral patterns, but also to minimalist pieces such as the geometric texture of compact dresses and tops made from recycled polyester jersey jacquard.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
The motifs of mountains, rivers, flowers and birds depicted on early Imari pottery shards are translated into contemporary landscapes, intertwined with Kurogouchi's own memories. Jacquard, reminiscent of the floral motifs often used in paintings, is featured in the brand's signature dresses and active jumpsuits. Following in the footsteps of later potters who, after a period when Tang Dynasty scenes were used as models for painting, began to paint the scenery around them, Kurogouchi began to incorporate the scenery of Saga, which she has visited repeatedly, into her clothing. From the seascapes adorning the chests of sheer knit dresses and tops with ample white space and sharp cutouts that resemble shards of pottery, to the Tang Dynasty-style scenes woven into silk coats and sets, these pieces are all projections of fragments of Kurogouchi's very personal memories, and the various motifs arranged on the same surface oscillate from past to present and from present to past, inviting one to a world of nostalgia.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
Knitted camisoles and casual knit vests feature asymmetrical designs and delicate handwork, with designs that appear as if they have been pieced together from various fragments, large and small, allowing for the coexistence of complex and unique motifs, while also allowing for the soft wearing of ceramic shards, which, even though broken and scattered, still eloquently convey memories of the past.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
Two types of ceramic buttons, which are used as detailing on several looks, are important fragments that bring the collection together. The blue and white buttons were made by Komononari Kiln in Arita Town, Saga Prefecture, while the embossed buttons were handcrafted by Mame Kurogouchi with the support of artist Mayumi Hamano.

Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi
Courtesy of Mame Kurogouchi