When I think about what I could share, I surrender to my memories, immerse myself in them more and more deeply, and stop at a “point”. This point, very small, barely visible, yet compelling, suddenly begins to pulse and grow, filling me from within with a warm, sparkling light. It is the light of childhood memories and magical images from the most intimate corners of my inner “Self”.
Although I was born in Riga, I spent my conscious childhood, from the age of 5 to 15, on Sakhalin. Those years were the most magical, unforgettable, endlessly touching, incredibly precious and important years of my life, becoming my foundation, my inspiration and my guiding light.
This is my strength, my spring, my inspiration, my love! This is my Sakhalin, my Karafuto!
My love of authenticity and ethnic traditions comes from the unique combination of the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of northern Sakhalin (the Oroks, Nivkhs and Ainu) and the national cultures of the Japanese and Koreans.
My most intimate personal experience has been embodied in tangible and entirely material forms. I named the principal original element of my collection Karafuto (the Japanese name for the southern part of Sakhalin Island).
The Japanese kosode (Jap. 小袖, literally “small sleeves”), the historical predecessor of the modern kimono, the Korean hanbok (Kor. 한복, 韓服) and pokto (an outer robe worn by the indigenous peoples of the North), as well as the European cardigan, have merged into the silhouette, form and construction of my Karafuto.
In professional terms, Karafuto is a reversible outer shoulder garment with an A-line silhouette, circular chest pockets, side slits opening directly from the armholes, and dropped sleeves.
The garment may be accompanied by a belt and a Hakama-style skirt (the divided skirt-trousers worn by samurai) or a Hossé (an outer skirt worn by the peoples of the North).
The A-line silhouette, characteristic of Eastern and Northern dress traditions, entirely removes the sexualisation of the person wearing Karafuto. What matters is not what you have revealed, but what you have left unspoken. Karafuto does not follow the curves of the body, but merely touches them. A person of any gender can feel comfortable wearing it.
The smooth, enveloping line of the shoulder area is a particular source of pride in my construction work. The golden-ratio relationship between the shoulder line and the rounded armhole creates soft, flowing contours around the shoulders and harmonises the individual nuances of the wearer’s body. The unique method used to set in the sleeves makes it possible to wear Karafuto fully on both sides.
One side of Karafuto is ascetically simple, calm and aligned with the philosophy of Eastern painting and calligraphy (without emptiness there can be no whole). The person themselves stands at the centre of this emptiness!
The second side is expressive and vividly communicates changes in mood and aesthetic meaning. This side is based on the philosophy of “Wabi-sabi” (侘寂 - the Japanese philosophy and aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfection), the art of boro (patchwork) and sashiko (hand stitching). Here an entirely different story of the garment is revealed - with its “scars”, traces of repair, and a history that, for some, may be brighter and more valuable than something entirely new and immaculate…
With every Karafuto, I offer pieces of the fabrics from which it was created, blessing my work with a long life and the possibility of repair and restoration, as I consider them to be creative and poetic acts.
Continue the magical poem or haiku that I have begun, using not only my fabric remnants, but also your own treasured relics, meaningful only to you. Make my Karafuto your own..!
No fusible interfacing or other auxiliary high-technology materials were used in the making of Karafuto. Every piece was created in an authentic manner, emphasising the natural qualities and aesthetics of the materials.
Every element of my collection exists in a single example and has its own name, character and soul. May they become your companions, sources of inspiration, helpers, protectors and, perhaps, even provocateurs along the path you are walking!
Most “Karafuto” pieces feature a circular inner chest pocket, finished with hand-worked sashiko stitching and a contrasting natural lining. Among both Eastern and Northern peoples, the circle worn on the chest serves as a powerful protective symbol. Among the peoples of the North, it represents the solar disc. It protected the vulnerable place on the chest (the heart) from the evil eye, malevolent spirits and illness. “Kun” (the sun) represented warmth, fertility, the infinity of existence and the connection with the cosmos.