Kintsughi or the art of transcending fashion

I have recently been invited to the Kintsughi exhibition curated by Anton Voyl, one of the founders of the brand, at the Mansart gallery in the heart of the Marais district in Paris.

Between art and craftsmanship, Kintsughi's concept catches the eye and leaves no one indifferent.

Kintsughi or the art of exhibiting precious scars

Kintsughi has been inspired by a Japanese art technique dating back to the 15th century. The practice prones that broken ceramics become even more refined when displayed with pride. Adding value to a broken object by enhancing its breaks is called kintsughi, "kin" standing for golden and "tsughi" for repair.

This traditional Japanese technique consists in using liquid precious metal to repair the pieces of a broken pottery item which gives them a more sophisticated aspect.

Kintsughi transcending fashion

The founders of Kintsughi Paris, namely Anton Voyl and Tiphaine Deguelle, transposed, in a challenging and witty way, the fascinating practice into fashion with the purpose of valorizing rare and worn clothes by repairing them with gold thread or by doing a high quality replica of the items.

The pieces are repaired and replicated by French craftsmen mastering a renowned know-how. It goes without saying that each piece is utterly unique!

The Fall/ Winter 2018-2019 collection

To be perfectly honest with you, the F/W 2018-2019 collection that has been exposed in Paris blew my mind. The founders surprised the public by presenting collected clothes worn by farmers at the beginning of the 20th century in France.

These clothes, now forgotten or abandoned, are worn, stained, perforated. Yet something extraordinary emanates from these items. I would say something vulnerable yet strong and authentic. The pieces have been repaired, but also replicated without adaptation, in new fabrics, reproducing the irregularities of the original creations that have been handmade by the farmers.