Hitoori is a collective of artisans.
We focus on new methods of craftsmanship while preserving traditional techniques to deliver new creations made with designs that are uniquely ours and not available anywhere else, to as many people as possible, as a means to pass on clerical robes and traditions.
The term “Hitoori”, meaning woven by people, is a trade name that represents our desire to cherish the relationship with our customers through our merchandise that is created with great care which goes into each and every stitch.
Hitoori has been making clerical robes that can endure the harsh training of Buddhist monks.
Each clerical robe worn by a Buddhist monk requires careful tailoring by hand, with meticulous attention going into each and every stitch until the robe is completed.
The group of artisans are firmly determined to utilize their craftsmanship to make innovative creations while preserving traditions.
The “Hitoori Ageless” series of apparel are born out of our desire to bring joy of fashion to the ordinary daily lives of the elderly, by incorporating techniques and designs that arise from traditional skills such as looping, and integrating them into the apparel of the new era.
After graduating from an apparel design school, Hayashi worked for Wacoal and the Triumph Design Technology Center for ten years respectively, where she provided sewing technique instructions and performed CAD operations.
When Triumph relocated to Tokyo, Hayashi saw that as an opportunity for her to utilize her past experiences and enter into the industry of clerical robes, for which she had no prior knowledge at all but was keenly interested in.
For the next ten years she studied clerical robes while continuing to provide technical instructions, as well as preparing tailoring patterns and specifications.
She launched the business in October 2007 with the desire to make full use of her past experiences.
Hitoori: Mitsue Hayashi