Marukawa Shoten

Marukawa Shoten’s linens connect the collector to a centuries-old craft that originated in the Japanese city of Matsusaka, hometown of founder Tatsuya Marukawa. Known as Matsusaka Momen, the practice involves cotton fabric, live indigo dye and a signature pattern dubbed the Matsusaka stripe. The dyeing process at the last remaining Matsusaka Momen manufacturer hinges on a sole craftsman, who has no successor. He is committed to tending to the live, fermented indigo dye and performing the rigorous, manual colouring ritual. Unexpectedly contemporary, the striped creations of Marukawa Shoten nonetheless stay true to tradition, delivering the aesthetic known as ‘iki’, which translates loosely as elegant without being decorative or ostentatious.