—This time it’s about the Kyoto store, right? How many years has it been since it opened?

Five years. This shirt was made to commemorate that 5th anniversary.

—This shirt... is it dyed?
Yes. It was dyed by Kyoto Montsuki, a workshop that has been doing “Kyokuro Montsuki” dyeing for over 100 years. Originally a kimono dye house, they developed a technique called "Shinkuro" (deep black processing) that allows them to dye Western garments pitch-black. For example, you can bring in a white garment and they’ll dye it completely black.

—A true heritage brand. When did you first encounter Kyoto Montsuki?

It was during our “Sumi (ink)” themed collection last spring/summer. I visited them and said, “We want to make truly black clothes.” That’s how our collaboration began. This time, they dyed striped fabric for us.

—Oh! Looking closely, it's not plain. Why did you choose a striped shirt as the base?
We had previously made original striped fabric and still had some, so I had been thinking about using it. When I spoke with the Kyoto store staff, they said, “Our customers really love shirts. We’d love to have one for the Kyoto store.” So I thought, since it’s Kyoto, why not do black dyeing with Kyoto Montsuki?

—But usually, garment dyeing uses plain fabrics, right?

Right. So we tried dyeing stripes as a test. From a distance it looks plain, but up close it has a soft shadow-stripe effect. We thought, “This is cool!” Since it’s the store’s 5th anniversary, we decided to make this the commemorative piece.

—I see. But there are many other dyeing options, even in colors besides black, right?

Kyoto Montsuki feels like they're using traditional techniques for kimono and textiles to move into the future. That aligns with our approach to making simple yet new clothes. Also, the depth of black was another reason.
—You mean the tone of the black?

Yes. We’ve dyed things black before, but never got it truly pitch-black. But their dye is really deep. They told me, “It’s darkness.”

—That sounds kind of ominous.

The president of Kyoto Montsuki—he’s the 4th generation—once asked, “Do you know what true black is?” When I said I didn’t, he replied, “It’s darkness. In other words, the absence of light.” Humans perceive color through light, so black means lack of light. I wasn’t told the detailed technique—it’s probably a trade secret—but I think this black has light-absorbing properties.

—It’s like a black box—the truth is hidden.

I think the key is in the post-dyeing treatment, though I don’t know the details. But I’m completely satisfied with just the depth of the black. With normal dyeing, you can predict the result. This time felt like an experiment—“What happens if we use Shinkuro?”

—Are there three styles?Yes. Regular collar, band collar, and a women’s dress. The regular and band collar shirts are oversized, one-size-fits-all. Since Kyoto has many female customers, I wanted everyone to enjoy them.

—Looking at the actual shirts, the black is striking. When light hits, the stripe contrast stands out—it's a look I haven’t seen before.

It’s fascinating. Unless told, people might think it’s woven, not overdyed. The shirt hanging in the Kyoto store looks great with the space.

—And the puckering at the seams is a hallmark of garment dyeing.

Exactly. The fabric feels crisp with a subtle drape—like a kimono. That modest presence is really stylish. In Japanese formal wear, black is standard, and I find the mix of traditional elements interesting.

—Black really has endless variations, especially combined with texture.

I usually prefer bluish black over reddish black. Something that fades to gray, not brown, when discharged.

—I get that. But modern black clothes often lean red—especially mass-produced ones.

Maybe that’s due to synthetic dye technology? It might make black clothing easier to produce. But sometimes, I look at black clothes and feel like “this is too intense”—and it’s usually red-tinged blacks. Calmer, cooler blacks are blue. But this black transcends even that. It’s neither red nor blue. It doesn’t just move toward black—it absorbs light. It approaches black from a different dimension.—Because black is such a standard color, it feels especially refreshing when reimagined like this.

In our past “Sumi” collection, we used a dyeable fabric and got it truly black. But when I tried matching it with other black clothes, it stood out—it wouldn’t blend. The color was just too black. It was literally different.—Truly mysterious. What kind of technique is it?

They probably don’t want to be copied. No matter how much you ask, the president of Kyoto Montsuki will never tell you. (laughs)

—By the way, has the Kyoto store made other anniversary items before?

Yes, we made items using Japanese paper for the 3rd anniversary. Customers in and out of Kyoto enjoyed those, so I hope this black-dyed shirt gets the same love.

Contact
Graphpaper KYOTO
Address: 88-1 Daikoku-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
tel. 075-212-2228
Closed: Wednesday