Lewis & Irene - Hajime by Stuart Hillard

​​​​​​​Hajime…is the Japanese word for “beginning” and is also a command “to begin”…
My first collection for Lewis and Irene is named “Hajime” from the Japanese “to begin” or “beginning”… A fresh beginning, a new start, sometimes to begin a new project is the hardest part…I made rough marks on a page, thick brushstrokes in wet paint on paper, hatched lines in pencil and running stitches on cloth…those loose lines became stylised florals, windblown reeds, clouds and interlocking cubes…all drawn in shades of indigo, blue and tan…my collection and colours are inspired by vintage mens kimono, once ubiquitous in Japan, everyday workwear made almost obsolete but re-imagined for modern sewing projects, clothing, quilting, bag making, crafts.