Interview With Barrique Tokyo – Traditional Japanese Ambiance

Let’s all welcome Barrique Tokyo, a Japan-based shop renowned for its exquisite collection of home furnishings, accessories, and decorative pieces ingeniously crafted from repurposed Kimonos. Each item breathes new life into these cherished Japanese textiles, showcasing unparalleled artistry and uniqueness. With a dedicated commitment to sustainability and cultural heritage, Barrique Tokyo has garnered widespread acclaim for its elegant craftsmanship. We are thrilled to present them to you today, inviting you to explore their enchanting world of timeless beauty and cultural reverence.

First of all, can you please introduce yourself?

BARRIQUE TOKYO is an online store of custom-made home furnishings that recreates the beauty of Japan’s good traditions of kimono and obi into interior items that fit the current lifestyle.

My name is Chieko Noguchi, Curator & Artist. I have been involved in the world of fashion and apparel for many years and have worked as a stylist for celebrities and actors on TV and in commercials.

My family was engaged in textile manufacturing and wholesale in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, and Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, and I have been familiar with kimono, obi, and haori since I was a child. Seeing the beautiful colours, delicate patterns, weaving, and craftsmanship of the artisans, I decided to do something about the kimonos and obis that had been carefully passed down to me and became involved in remaking them in earnest.

Could you please share with us the story behind Barrique Tokyo? When was it founded, and what inspired its creation?

BARRIQUE refers to the wooden barrels used to age wine, and BARRIQUE was the first apparel brand created by Chieko Noguchi’s husband, a producer specialising in repurposed goods, after he became independent.

In the 1980’s, Omotesando was the leading hub of fashion and culture. BARRIQUE had a directly managed store on the first floor of the Dojunkai Aoyama Apartment, the predecessor to the current Omotesando Hills, and Chieko Noguchi was in charge of the press (public relations). Many artists from overseas, including Julian Lennon and Pierce Brosnan, visited the store, and it was a popular store where Daryl Hall purchased stage costumes for his performances in Tokyo.

We used ‘’BARRIQUE’’ to express ‘’tradition’’ and the desire to inherit the ‘’iki’’ of Omotesando, Tokyo and transmit it to the world.

What is the core concept of the shop? Has using kimonos and obis affected your craft and customers?

The brand logo is an arrangement of cloisonne enamel patterns. Shippou is one of the Yusoku-monyo patterns used by the aristocracy since the Heian period (794-1185), a time when the dynastic culture flourished in Japan. It is a pattern consisting of circles joined by overlapping quarters of circles. The eternally unfolding shape of the interlocking circles represents ‘’perfection’’ and is considered an auspicious and lucky pattern. Our concept is to have everlasting connections with people who read this article and purchase BARRIQUE TOKYO products, not only in Japan but also overseas, through ‘’kimono’’.

What sets this ambiance and decoration store apart from others?

What is important to us is to remake the products in a way that is in tune with modern and overseas lifestyles. For example, combining different materials, such as denim with shibori haori fabric, creates a stylish look. Furthermore, BARRIQUE TOKYO’s products are unique and one-of-a-kind, handcrafted with a focus on the differences in fabric expression for each piece created. The products have a long-life design that can be used timelessly.

To convey the charm of kimonos and obis overseas is to convey Japanese culture and traditions. By remaking them into interior items, we hope to pass on the spirit of kimono in a different form overseas.

Where do you get the used Kimonos and Obis from? How do you select them?

Obi and kimono are purchased from special channels, being carefully selected, and only those items that we are satisfied with are commercialised. In our online store, you can choose your favourite pattern and colour from our carefully selected obi, one by one, and we also offer interior items that can be created from those obi as well.

Also, can you tell us about your shop location? Can people find your creations outside of Japan, and where?

The products are sold in stores at Maison WA, a concept store based in Paris, France. France is famous among European countries for its extremely high interest in Japanese culture and deep interest in craftsmanship. The awareness of brands is also high, and all brands from all over the world consider France as a business market.

Name: Maison WA (Concept shop & Showroom)

Phone: +33 (0)1 4026 6670

Address: 8 bis Rue Villedo, 75001 Paris

Access: About 100 m from Pyramides station on the Paris Metro

Opening hours: 11:00 – 19:00, Tuesday – Saturday

https://barriquetokyo.com/pages/maison_wa

In addition to our online store, we also hold pop-up stores on a regular basis. For more
information, please visit our Social media.

https://www.instagram.com/barriquetokyo/

Can people make customised orders at BARRIQUE TOKYO?

At BARRIQUE TOKYO, we carefully select obi that are in good condition. Although the length varies from obi to obi, once you have selected your favourite one, please contact us by email etc and we will wholeheartedly create a Kakejiku runner or any other product of your choice.

Where do you see BARRIQUE TOKYO in the future? Are there any interesting projects we should know about?

We hope to help connect the beauty, culture, and history of traditional Japanese crafts to the
world by remaking and delivering traditional obis and kimonos as interior decorations from
Tokyo to everyone.

Beyond products, are there any other Japanese cultural aspects BARRIQUE TOKYO wants to share with the world?

Traditional Japanese crafts, arts, and lifestyle. Japan has long had its own unique culture, which includes beautiful traditions and techniques. We would like to convey the charm of Japan to the world through those cultural aspects.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Through kimonos and obis, we hope to bring the wonderful Japanese culture behind them to
people around the world. We also want to convey the importance of respecting the traditional
beauty of Japan and incorporating it into modern lifestyles.

Thank you so much for taking precious time out of your day, answering questions, and sharing your extraordinary story with us! We appreciate your insights, and we are glad you joined us for this interview.

Follow BARRIQUE TOKYO on:

Website: https://barriquetokyo.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59KV-lt9k9gFa02tIbm4wg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barriquetokyo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BARRIQUETOKYO/

Featured Photo Credit: Barrique Tokyo

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