Artist Transforms Traditional Japanese Garments Into Fashion Accessories With Appeal to Contemporary, Occidental Tastes

Catalina Arocenas products are designed and crafted with meticulous care, and since the fabric for each kimono is unique and few pieces can be made from any one garment, each one has its own distinct individuality.

Durham, NC October 29, 2004 http://www.kimonochic.com [KimonoChic.com], a newly launched online specialty store owned by artist and designer Catalina Arocena, features a line of unique or limited edition scarves, shawls, sarongs and throw pillows fashioned from the exquisite vintage or antique fabricsmostly silkthat went into the making of the traditional Japanese kimono. Arocenas products are designed and crafted with meticulous care, and since the fabric for each kimono is unique and few pieces can be made from any one garment, each one has its own distinct individuality. Excluding a few exceptional items, KimonoChic.coms artistic creations sell for $85 - 250.

Arocena has long had an affinity for oriental art, but her interest in vintage and antique Japanese textiles was piqued five years ago when, almost by accident, she discovered a collection of nearly 40 kimono stored and subsequently forgotten in her mother-in-laws basement. Intrigued, she took them home.

"Most of the kimono had some form of minor damage here and there," says Arocena about the discovery. "That's what made it easy for me to dare take them apart and start playing with the remaining sections of fabric, imagining what they could become. Now after years of study, examining thousands of kimono and acquiring a repertoire of styles, Arocenas artistic eye still plays with sections of fabric, imagining and executing unique and innovative designs.

The term kimono means "the thing to wear; it encompasses numerous types of garments made from a variety of materials including silk, cotton, muslin, wool, hemp and rayon. Although Arocena is particularly drawn to working with different varieties of silk, from the most lavish sorts employed in the making of ceremonial kimono to the simpler types used for everyday garments, she also utilizes the more rustic and sturdy cotton cloth used traditionally to make farmers work clothes. Part of her artistic process includes assigning the right material to the right design use.

About KimonoChic.com LLC
KimonoChic.com is a state-of-the-art e-commerce site that sells internationally and has a less is more approach, offering a select amount of products with a fast re-stocking pace to keep the site fresh and interesting. Each one-of-a-kind item is sold individually and is showcased with detailed photographs and thorough descriptions of the age and type of fabrics employed.

Contact:
Catalina Arocena, owner
888-214-2442
www.kimonochic.com

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