This marks the fourth collaboration between Y. & SONS and THE INOUE BROTHERS.
Alpaca raised on the land of Peru meets the sensibility of THE INOUE BROTHERS, blending identities from various countries, and takes shape as a kimono.
It is more than just a “collaboration.”
Over seven years, across nations and cultures, a true partnership has been woven.

For the shoot, we chose Nihashi Dye Factory in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture —
a workshop known for creating the most casual yukata and tenugui, yet filled with the craftsmen’s dedication and spirit.
Japanese traditional craftsmanship often brings to mind luxury and formality,
but what truly matters is not the price — it is the passion infused within.
Even everyday yukata and tenugui are supported by the pride and perseverance of the artisans who create them.

Mr. Nihashi is the very embodiment of that spirit.
He never says “I can’t,” and sincerely responds to every request.
Deeply inquisitive, he constantly looks ahead to what’s next.
At Y. & SONS, we do not create by saying “handmade is good,” “it’s culture,” or “it’s tradition.”
We create because we want people to think, “I want this because it’s genuinely cool.”
We wanted to share that passion, so this time we visited Hamamatsu together with THE INOUE BROTHERS team.

The uniqueness of this project is also reflected in its material selection.
The highest-grade Royal Alpaca refers only to the finest fibers,
measuring 16–19 microns in thickness — known for their exceptional softness and comfort.
The alpaca fabric made exclusively for Y. & SONS is 100% Royal Alpaca —
no wool or other fibers blended in.
To ensure it drapes beautifully as a kimono,
even the thickness and hair length were custom-ordered through repeated adjustments with the factory in Peru.
“It’s not enough for it to be good because it’s alpaca — it must also embody the beauty of a kimono.”
For the local craftsmen, imagining and producing fabric for kimono was a major challenge.
The very difficulty of shaping something beyond imagination — that is the true essence of this fabric’s value.

We finally launched a new style of clothes made from pure black alpaca wool as 2024 Autumn / Winter Collection.
The passion and dedication from Y. & SONS. and THE INOUE BROTHERS… finally took form in a kimono and a haori. Sourcing dye-free “pure black alpaca wool” was not only a material choice but is also cultural exchange.
※”Pure black alpaca wool” is a dye-free alpaca wool made from alpacas that have only black wool. They have natural brownish-black color wool with a glossy sheen, and only small amount of wool (about 300 g) can be collected from each alpaca.

This project did not create a mere fashion item. We created a “cultural connection”. “Japan and Andes are connected even though they both are geographically far apart. The fact that we were able to make kimonos with this special material this time is truly a reinterpretation of our culture,” Satoru said. The pure black alpaca wool kimono and haori are not just tailored pieces, they are now something special that symbolizes our shared passion and respect for each other’s unique perspectives and cultures. This was our third collaboration autumn/winter project. What we achieved this season is astounding. It was a great challenge for Y. & SONS to overcome.

Our project took years of trial and error. The desire to make a pure black alpaca wool kimono was initially proposed by Y. & SONS. However, THE INOUE BROTHERS… thought that it would be near impossible since making a kimono requires long lengths of fabric.

THE INOUE BROTHERS… Designer: Satoru Inoue
THE INOUE BROTHERS…“pure black alpaca wool” project began in 2015. At the time, there were only 50 alpacas with pure black hair in existence. This fact meant they were very precious. There was not a single product that was made of pure black alpaca wool. “Pure black is something special”, Satoru says. They started looking for pure black alpacas by traveling around the Andes Mountains. They have since increased their number of pure black alpacas to approximately 2,000 pure black alpacas today.

The color of pure black alpaca” is similar to the color of Japanese people’s hair. It forms a strong part of Japanese identity and culture. “This color is something in common with the Japanese sense of beauty.”, Satoru says. Expressing such a material in the form of a traditional kimono creates a new appeal that connects history with modern. Making a kimono from pure black alpaca wool was not about producing rare and luxurious item. It was to demonstrate its beauty, “decisions” and “challenges” in the material.