Exploring Japanese Heritage Through Fabric with Ryuya Kimura

In a world racing toward instant gratification and fleeting trends, some creators dare to pause, reflect, and dive deeper. Ryuya Kimura is one of them—a visionary who takes the slow, intricate road to connect the past with the present, the tactile with the transcendent. From fashion designer to tea producer and contemporary artist, his journey is a mosaic of exploration and innovation. At its core lies an unwavering dedication to traditional Japanese techniques, reimagined for the modern world.

Finding Meaning: From Fashion to Artistic Freedom

Ryuya Kimura didn’t set out to be an artist; his roots lie in fashion. But even in the early stages of his career, you can sense he was searching for more. Starting out as an assistant for Ann-Sofie Back, a designer celebrated for her rebellious “failed glamour” aesthetic, he learned how to question norms and push boundaries. Later, as a design and product assistant for Paul Seville, he worked on exquisite leather jewelry showpieces for icons like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Vivienne Westwood. These experiences taught him the power of craftsmanship to evoke emotion—luxury not as a status symbol but as a sensory dialogue.

Returning to Japan, Kimura-san founded his own label, RYU, steeped in Japanese craftsmanship. But even as his designs gained recognition, he found himself at odds with the industry’s relentless pace. “Modern consumption and I have grown misaligned,” he admits. The detachment of contemporary consumer culture, particularly in online spaces, left him searching for answers that fashion alone couldn’t provide. “I realized the answers I was seeking could not be found within the confines of design alone” he shares.

So, he pivoted. Art offered something fashion couldn’t—a chance to explore raw emotion and deeper connections without the constraints of market demand. “It’s about channeling the joys, sorrows, and everything in between into works that the audience can interpret and, in some cases, act upon” Kimura-san explains.

Keitofu: The Fabric of Stories and Tradition

Kimura-san’s latest project is nothing short of a masterpiece—a tribute to Japan’s legacy of craftsmanship and his own relentless innovation. In his last work, he created Keitofu (継陶布), a fabric that feels both ancient and futuristic.

The name itself is rich with meaning:

• 継 (Kei): To connect, inherit, or continue.
• 陶 (Tou): Ceramics or pottery.
• 布 (Fu): Cloth or fabric.

Together, Keitofu symbolizes “connected ceramic fabric” reflecting Kimura-san’s belief in the interconnectedness of all things.

What makes this fabric extraordinary is its inspiration: the shared roots of textiles like cotton, wool, and silk with clay and sand—all born from the earth. Drawing on kintsugi, the art of repairing pottery with gold, Kimura-san fuses this philosophy into his work, but with a twist. Instead of lacquer and brass, he uses gold threads traditionally reserved for Japanese temples and shrines. These threads, made from washi paper layered with gold leaf and spun into 97.66% pure gold, give his pieces a luminous, almost sacred quality.

With Keitofu, Kimura-san has crafted breathtaking canvas art, sculptural pieces like “Seiki” (生器), and even dresses that seem to hum with history. Beyond their beauty, these works embody the spirit of Kintsugi—a philosophy of healing and transformation, mending not just objects but the spirit itself.

Ryuya Kimura or Art for the senses

For Kimura, art isn’t just something to look at; it’s something to feel, to experience with every sense. His piece “Domon” (土紋) is a perfect example. Inspired by the softness of clay during ceramic production, he translated that malleability into a knitwork masterpiece. Each piece was painstakingly handmade over six months—a labor of love that embodies his commitment to craftsmanship and emotional resonance.

But Kimura San doesn’t stop at textiles. He extends his artistry to tea and fragrances, crafting scents that evoke the earthy warmth of firewood and soot. Using dried seeds, roots, and barks, he creates olfactory experiences that complement the tactile and visual elements of his work. “My senses are my only guide and anchor” he says.

Interestingly, Ryuya Kimura avoids external influences like music or films, preferring to rely on his own reactions to the world around him. For him, art isn’t about pleasing the masses but about provoking emotion—whether joy, discomfort, or reflection.

Breaking Boundaries, Bridging Traditions

Ryuya Kimura’s journey isn’t just about blending tradition with innovation—it’s about tearing down walls altogether. By combining techniques like kintsugi with fabric, collaborating with artisans across disciplines, and rethinking the role of art in a fast-moving world, he’s creating something truly unique.

In his work, there’s no rush to meet a market demand or follow a trend. Instead, there’s the patient pursuit of raw emotion and sensory depth. It’s a process that might take six months for a single piece, but the result is timeless.

Through his bold yet reverent approach, Ryuya Kimura reminds us of the enduring power of Japanese craftsmanship—not as a relic of the past but as a living, breathing force of creativity. His work is an invitation to slow down, to feel deeply, and to find beauty not in perfection but in the connections that bind us all.