Hiraten, the label by Eriko Nakatani made with breathable Banshu cotton

Eriko Nakatani makes clothing and accessories with Banshu cotton, an exceptional quality cotton from Japan. Here she explains her love of the textile, and how she has used it to create her brand Hiraten. 

 I have been involved in the production and sale of parasols for about 10 years. At first, I used common fabrics, but after about two years, I developed original embroidered fabrics, which enabled me to offer more gorgeous and co-ordinated parasols. Later, I came across Banshu-ori, a traditional craft of Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, and was strongly attracted to its modern and fashionable fabrics. Banshu-ori is a yarn-dyed fabric that has been used since the Edo period and is characterised by its beautiful colours and pleasant texture. I wanted to express the charm of this fabric in parasols, so I decided to start producing parasols using Banshu-ori.

My brand also produces ties, dresses and stoles using Banshu-ori, based on the concept of "enjoying the coordination with parasols". In particular, stoles are favoured by many people as items that make the most of the pleasant feel of Banshu-ori. We are also collaborating with a long-established bag and sandal manufacturer and incorporating Banshu-ori into these products, thereby fusing tradition and modernity.

In addition to collaborating with long-established shops for bags and sandals, we are also planning to produce and sell kimono haori and long under garments in the future.