I want Tsumori!

Once in a while, I come across a designer whose bags transcend fashion into the realm of wearable art. Japanese designer Tsumori Chisato is one of those designers.
Apparently well known in Asia, as a designer in her own right and a former protege of Issey Miyake. I had never heard of her or seen her work (which is extensive, she creates a full collection of clothing and accessories backed by A-Net, sister company to her former employer Issey Miyake's) until I happened on this wallet.


It may not seem like much, until you realise the amount of work that went into the intricate details all of which are appliqued or embroidered onto the leather with different fabrics and small details like pearls. Something like this goes beyond trends, and really becomes a signature piece of it's owner.


Other views, though teeny tiny, show that the work is not one sided, and is elaborate on back side, and the interior is not forgotten either, with it's own small shell and pearl detail. There are also plenty of card slots, as well as a large zipper compartment for change or bills.
This sort of thing doesn't come cheap. The wallet as shown is $434 from Bird, though there are less intricate styles available from $215.

That wallet, however, piqued my interest, so I decided to look for more things from Tsumori Chisato, figuring I was in for more elaborately embroidered things, but I was wrong. What i found was extremely cool, and fresh looking.


The Round and Round the Bag is made from a treated glazed leather. It has a pair of zippers sewn into a swirl at the center creating a rose like effect. The zippers actually do work, and open to reveal secret pockets. The inside has less secretive storage areas like a traditional bag. I am not crazy for the color, though, but the style is really superb. I only found it on a Japanese site, and converted the price, so it may be inaccurate, but it's an estimated $675.



This clutch looks like it came from the sea. It has an organic look to it, and resembles a conch shell, or even a snail, which is no accident. It is made from thornback which is some sort of a stingray (even babblefish had trouble translating this one) and the adornments are crafted to resemble sea urchins. The Thornback Clutch comes in at about $500 (50,400 Yen).





A bit more on the conventional side, is the Shirring Bag. This looks very similar to recent bags by Miu Miu and Fendi but the texturing is more unique, with the shirring pattern done in different sized stripes, and even receding back into the bag in the middle.
The lining is also noteworthy, done in an octopus print in keeping with the whole "under the sea" theme that permeates the collection.

The Shirring Bag would cost about $550 (55,650 yen) about half of what a similar high end European designer bag would.
Unfortunately, I can't vouch for the quality first hand, and I cobbled the information I have together using the Babel Fish translator, and a currency converter because the site with the most styles, is Humor, which I think is run by the umbrella company A-Net (sort of a Japanese version of what eLuxury is to LVMH, I suppose).
I wish her clothes and accessories were better represented in the states. I may take a trip to Brooklyn to the Bird store where they stock clothes as well just to see it in person. meanwhile, the most informative article I could find about Tsumori Chisato is on Metropolis, a Japanese English language webzine.