ART PART VOL. 17: RIFATTO ATELIER
Yuya the founder of the Okinawa atelier RIFATTO is fluent in traditional Japanese sewing techniques. He creates remakes based on worn and vintage items, alternating hand-made sashiko, boro and machine sewing. Yura follows the philosophy of wabi-sabi and adheres to sustainable production, he cares about the environment and cherishes the history of garments that got into his hands.

We decided to discuss in detail his craft and craving for vintage clothes, and also looked at RIFATTO as the art. Special for GRADE, Yuya selected several remakes and told what prompted him to create each of them.
ART PART VOL. 17: RIFFATO ATELIER
Yuya the founder of the Okinawa atelier RIFATTO is fluent in traditional Japanese sewing techniques. He creates remakes based on worn and vintage items, alternating hand-made sashiko, boro and machine sewing. Yura follows the philosophy of wabi-sabi and adheres to sustainable production, he cares about the environment and cherishes the history of garments that got into his hands.

We decided to discuss in detail his craft and craving for vintage clothes, and also looked at RIFATTO as the art. Special for GRADE, Yuya selected several remakes and told what prompted him to create each of them.
How's your passion for vintage started?
I was impressed by the hippie-culture of 1970-s. When I fell in love with second-hand clothing, most of all I liked clothes with a background of hippie-culture, music, art and military.
Which vintage clothing impressed you the most?
The details of old military clothes are impressive. Clothes made for war are simple but lean and beautiful.
Why did you decide to remake vintage clothing? Did you have any sew skills before starting remakes?
I didn't go to sewing school. I learned all the skills by myself. The reason why I started remaking was because I felt very attractive to the fact that by remaking something old I can create something unique in the world.
Here's the phrase from your Insta's bio: "素材の持つ物語りを有機的にリメイクのフィルターを通し表現する". What do you mean?
Even the same old clothes have a different history depending on the person who wears it. It may have been worn at work, it may have been worn on a first date, it may have been bought on the first paycheck. I think that there is no similar stories in old clothes.

And I want to create a sustainable clothing cycle by adding new stories through my remake filters and connecting them to the next person.
Tell us about your favorite techniques.
No. 1 Favorite is roughing using sashiko technic. You can do the processing of the aging change that cannot be achieved by the sewing machine.
How's you communicate with customers while working on custom orders? What is important to you in custom orders?
In a DM's on Instagram. We share images and atmosphere while listening to customers' requests. The fun thing with custom orders is when the customer comes up with an idea that I didn't have. At that moments I feel joyful.
What's your plans for the future?
We plan to arrange a lot of equipment to remake. I want to think and experiment with new techniques.

I'm not thinking about making a lot of works. I would like to take the time and carefully create works that I think are the best.
"SPECIAL BORO JACKET"
I make it using old Japanese cloth. The fabric that has become tattered in more than 100 years is attached together with sashiko technique, and the shape is made while reinforcing it. I hope that many people around the world will feel the splendor of Japanese art sashiko (because of that item).
"AROUND THE WORLD MAN JACKET"
A jacket worn by a man who went around the world. I created an image with a fantasy. 18 countries are hidden in it. The national flag used on it is the national flag used at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics. It is subjected to sashiko and repair with a sewing machine as roughing.
"BORO FLOWER JACKET"
Using an old Japanese cloth, I created the image of the preciousness of the flower dying.

The heart of wabi-sabi in Japan has a sense of beauty not only in full bloom but also in the preciousness of withering flowers. I want you to feel its beauty.
"SPECIAL BORO PANTS"
It is denim pants customized using vintage bandana and Japanese old cloth. It is wonderful to use one thing for a long time. it's also very good for the environment. But things have a lifetime. However, I believe that we can extend that life by passing through the filter of the remake. I express the beauty of the boro techic beyond the limit of this "item lifetime".
"VINTAGE FRENCH LINEN REBUILDING SHIRTS"
The French army linen sheets of the 1950s have been reconstructed and remade into pullover shirt. Wearing this heavyweight linen fabric you will feel differently you will feel all the story of item. You can make clothes by making new fabrics and rebuilding old fabrics even if you do not make clothes in large quantities. The amount of remake clothes I make for global environmental problems is very small. But I think that it would be nice if we could create an opportunity even for one person, to think about sustainability of environment.
"BORO RUG"
We also remake the rug mat to use up all the fabric. In Japan, in the old days, fabrics were very valuable. "If it is a dough that can wrap 3 beans, take it and put it without throwing it away". It is said.

Modern times where fabrics are overflowing in large quantities. Modern to be discarded in large quantities. This rug mat expresses the beauty of the old days when things were valued. Use even small fabrics without throwing them away. It is the spirit of making things that RIFATTO aims at.
ART PART VOL. 17: RIFATTO ATELIER

Website: https://rifatto.stores.jp/
Instagram page: @rifatto_handmade

Grade Moscow
29 Oct, 2021