Diving into Japanese Denim
The documentary ‘Weaving Shibusa’, directed by David Leisher in 2017, explores the techniques used to make jeans in Japanese workshops.
When he realised that very little information was available about the methods used to manufacture jeans in Japan, filmmaker David Leisher decided to explore the subject in his documentary Weaving Shibusa, in 2015. From Tokyo to Nagano via Osaka, David Leisher travelled the country to meet the key players in denim, including artisans and designers.
Indigo-stained cloth
It was after the Second World War, as industrialisation grew significantly, that denim imposed itself on Japan. This expansion was particularly due to the Osaka 5, five brand experts in denim. They wished to produce the material using an ancient method that is notably used during the process of dyeing cotton. The material is dyed by hand, in indigo, and thus takes on the iconic, intense navy-blue colour it is famous for. The attention to details goes as far as the jeans’ edge. Its material stands out due to its coloured border and, above all, its uniform finish, which prevents the denim from fraying and gives it a more robust quality; a method known worldwide as ‘selvedge.’
Weaving Shibusa (2017), a documentary by David Leisher is available to buy or rent.
Weaving Shibusa from Weaving Shibusa on Vimeo.
TRENDING
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
Tokyo's Transgender Community of the 1970s Immortalised by Satomi Nihongi
In her series ‘'70S Tokyo TRANSGENDER’, the photographer presents a culture and an aesthetic that are situated on the margins of social norms.
-
Kohei Yoshiyuki, the Voyeur of Tokyo's Voyeurs
The reedition of the publication ‘The Park’ takes us on a night walk through the parks of Tokyo, out in full sight.
-
Modernology, Kon Wajiro's Science of Everyday Observation
Makeup, beard shape, organisation of cupboards and meeting places: all of these details decipher 1920s Tokyoites.
-
Hiroshi Nagai's Sun-Drenched Pop Paintings, an Ode to California
Through his colourful pieces, the painter transports viewers to the west coast of America as it was in the 1950s.
