Bridal Kimono was founded by Femke Mostert, who is the designer and maker behind the brand. She creates all her designs in her home studio in Almere Hout in the Dutch province of Flevoland.
Bridal Kimono is part of a larger social enterprise. The designer believes in collaboration and community, the power of diversity and doing and experiencing things herself.
At Bridal Kimono, everything still has value. Especially people! Sometimes people are not considered valuable, if they have a blemish or have gone a bit off the rails. In her workshop, she is assisted by 2 women with a non-European migration background with a distance from the labour market, who can learn the trade alongside her and get paid!
Bridal Kimono exclusively uses second-hand wedding dresses for their creations. Each piece is made by hand, from materials that might otherwise be thrown away, including yarns donated and found at thrift shops by Femke. This approach not only helps reduce waste, but also promotes the reuse of precious materials, making a positive impact on the environment.
Bridal Kimono embodies the concept of circularity by relying entirely on reused materials for their unique creations. Each piece is the result of transforming second-hand wedding dresses, combined with second-hand yarns donated or found in thrift shops. This approach ensures that materials that would otherwise be at the end of their life cycle are given a new, valuable life as part of a beautiful kimono.
Femke Mostert lives with her family on almost 2000 m² in a unique piece of Almere Hout in the Dutch province of Flevoland. At the back of the garden is her studio among greenery and all kinds of animals: cats, chickens and rabbits. Inside, it is a cosy chaos of fabrics, cushions, stuffing and a sewing machine.
Everything is made by hand and all materials are also collected locally.
This results in an exceptionally short production chain and as local as it gets.
Bridal Kimono uses only upcycled residual materials, meaning no animals are directly involved in the production process.
Being handmade, the one-offs designs are of great quality that can last a lifetime. The timeless designs are colourful and eye-catching and do not follow any season.
Femke offers repairs for her items to extend the life of each garment.
Bridal Kimono is very transparent and honest.
Because all products are manufactured in-house, it is easy to share detailed information about the production process. This means customers can see exactly how each product is made, from the raw material to the final finish. They not only provide insight into the materials used and their origin, but also the working conditions in which the products are made.
Conclusion
Bridal Kimono creates unique kimonos from wedding dresses, each handmade with passion. This approach provides an excellent example of a circular economy, where sustainability and creativity blend harmoniously. Moreover, an item that is normally treasured for just one day is given a new life as a meaningful, daily wearable work of art.
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