Japanese denim’s signature look and feel have been honed over decades of history. The country’s denim heritage is also intertwined with the nation’s stories, including its working class.
This Eastern craftsmanship meets Western denim styles in Pakistan-based manufacturer Artistic Milliners’ Shogun collection, created with Japanese textile master Masaaki Sakaguchi. The collection modernizes Japanese denim for today’s consumers, combining aspects such as comfort and eco-conscious production. Nodding to “Seven Samurai,” the 1954 film by Akira Kurosawa, the mill and Sakaguchi created Seven Denim Samurai—a capsule of men’s and women’s samples within the collection.
The articles blend influences. For instance, Japanese denim’s slubby textures are revamped with stretch, while hickory stripe patterns and herringbone weaves get a modern twist. Throughout, Artistic Milliners used sustainable materials to manufacture the pieces.
“The ‘7 Denim Samurai’ we created as samples for the Shogun line envision Eastern denim challenging its Western counterpart,” said Sakaguchi. “While American denim serves as a shield against nature, Eastern denim embodies the spirit of Zen, harmonizing with nature and possessing the sharpness of a katana [sword]. The Shogun Collection introduces seven unique denim samurai under the Shogun’s command, each offering light, supple denim tailored for modern living.”
Here, Sakaguchi details what drew him to this partnership, the concept for the collection and which Japanese denim traditions should be protected.
You have a lot of denim industry experience. Can you tell us about a defining moment or lesson that shaped your philosophy on denim making?
IMasaaki Sakaguchi: have been exposed to many textiles all over Japan: synthetic fibers with cutting-edge high-tech technology, silk fabrics made by traditional craftsmanship and traditional, indigo-dyed fabrics. State-of-the-art textiles are produced at high speed, while traditional textiles are produced at low speed. The pursuit of economic efficiency leads to high-speed looms, while the pursuit of quality and diversity leads to low-speed looms or handlooms. Depending on the balance between supply and demand, handlooms may be more economically efficient. It is important to use both, not to deny either. And there are many ways to create something new.
As the Japanese denim situation evolves, what changes excite you? Are there any traditions you feel strongly about preserving?
M.S.: The value of time is etched into vintage jeans. I’ve been excited and at the same time shocked to see true vintage jeans priced in the millions of yen. However, I personally don’t like the damage processing that artificially creates an aged look, even though I appreciate it as a business; it has a somewhat fake atmosphere—I still prefer the real thing. Authentic new jeans and authentic old jeans are both good.
Before the creation of synthetic indigo, traditional indigo dyeing techniques existed all over the world. However, most of them disappeared with the birth of synthetic indigo. The difference between synthetic and natural indigo is their function; although the color is the same, natural indigo is effective in repelling insects. Natural indigo fabrics seal the memory of the culture of life before the invention of synthetic detergents and chemical dyes. We would like to preserve this for future generations.
The Shogun collection pays tribute to Japanese craftsmanship. What elements of that tradition particularly inspire your work?
M.S.: For the Shogun collection, I wanted to combine elements of traditional Japanese indigo dyeing with contemporary denim. By doing so, I want to differentiate it from American denim culture and expand the possibilities of denim.
Modern dyeing and rope dyeing are basically designed to dye in bulk, making it possible to dye large volumes with consistent shades. In traditional indigo dyeing, the process of soaking the yarn in different concentrations of indigo solutions and then wringing it out is repeated dozens of times. Since the raw material for natural indigo is expensive, it cannot be discarded after only one dyeing. Naturally, the dyeing process is not repeatable consistently in terms of shade; the color will always be unique. Striped weave is appreciated for its beautiful design, but it is also a method to make the shade variation less noticeable. I find this kind of ingenuity fascinating. For the Shogun Collection, I expressed the image of traditional striped fabric by further dyeing the hickory fabric.
You’ve mentioned the “spirit” of denim. How would you describe this, and how is this spirit incorporated into the Shogun collection?
M.S.: Jeans were [originally] work clothes for those who worked in harsh natural environments. They were worn by gold miners, cowboys and military workers. Even in Japan, indigo-dyed cotton kimonos were worn by laborers, farmers, fishermen, craftsmen, firemen and rickshaw pullers. The spirit of denim is to positively value work. Today, the value of highly educated and well-paid white-collar workers is often evaluated as high, while the value of blue-collar workers is often evaluated as low. However, with the evolution of AI, that standard of value may change. While teleworking, I grow the vegetables I eat on a small farm. Practice a healthy lifestyle, using both brain and physical labor in moderation. We want to cherish the spirit that a sound mind resides in a sound body. We would like to propose new denim as a symbol of this new lifestyle. It takes time to apply the spirit to manufacturing. This time, we are at the starting line.
Collaboration can lead to new explorations. How has working with Artistic Milliners influenced or expanded your approach to denim design? What sparked your interest in this collaboration?
M.S.: Industries have life cycles. Japan’s textile industry was pushed into decline by Chinese production, and now the Chinese economy is beginning to decline. Pakistan produces superior cotton, and its textile industry is growing rapidly. Japan’s textile industry is declining in strength, but it has accumulated experience and expertise. This collaboration between Japan and Pakistan, myself and Artistic Milliners has historical and industrial significance. I hope that through me, an individual, it will lead to a great exchange. Even the name Artistic Milliners interested me. To me it, it signaled artistic differentiation rather than the bottom line. Both Pakistan and Artistic Milliners have tremendous potential, and I look forward to seeing where they go.
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