ASPHALT&GREEN RECORD vol.14

Head-to-Toe Hemp Mountain Wind for an Ikebana Moment

My first visit to Japan. While my head was filled with cultural spots like the secondhand bookstores of Jimbocho and Mandarake in Shibuya, my mother headed instead to an ikebana class in a residential neighborhood.

Shoes off, onto the tatami. The neatly arranged vessels, flower scissors, and other tools made me a little nervous. I wanted to approach both the unfamiliar movements and a culture I was experiencing for the first time with an open mind, in clothes I felt at home in. The nerves soon faded, and the sight of the season’s flowers brought a smile to my face.

I push up the elasticated sleeves and begin by learning the basic forms of ikebana. Finding beauty in subtraction, and appreciating even the way flowers wither away. Maybe it’s similar to what draws me to vintage clothing. This mountain parka is based on a 1990s THE NORTH FACE archival Mountain Jacket. Made from 100% natural materials, it undergoes a garment-washing process to recreate the worn edges along the seams and hem, as well as the creasing and fading that come with years of wear. The appeal of something that has gained character over time — that, I can understand.

Before I know it, a light sweat has formed on my forehead. Even in Japan’s humid heat, the dry texture of the hemp fabric keeps it comfortably away from the skin, while the natural, unrefined character of the material blends easily into the setting of tatami and flowers. Then there’s the oversized mountain parka and the pants with their boldly wide legs. The roomy silhouette comes in handy on the tatami, too. When my legs start to go numb from sitting in an unfamiliar seiza position, I loosen the adjuster tapes at the waist and hems a little, then turn my attention back to the flowers.

Cutting, arranging, and observing the flowers. Even through these repeated movements between action and stillness, the lightweight, outdoor-inspired clothing feels just right, allowing the body to move freely. On the way home with my arrangement in my arms, I find myself stopping to notice flowers on a street corner. You don’t have to go somewhere special after all. It seems beautiful things are often right there around us.