Our dream is growing dye plants in our field

When we started Atelier Shimura, we borrowed land for a crop field near the atelier and planted indigo, plants of safflower, madder and seedling of the Clerodendron trichotomum. Only these can be used as dye and the plants are very rare and not easy to get. At first, we had to form a relay for carrying water in buckets from a nearby creek to the field for the plants every morning and evening. Ever since we’ve had our field, we worry about the plants and whether they are growing well or not. That has made us feel worry, wonder and joy at the same time. We want to do the process all by ourselves: to grow dye plants, dye thread, weave with them and make kimonos. That’s our dream.