On September 15th, INTERSECT BY LEXUS – TOKYO hosted a special “fragrant cloth fan” workshop. Using fabric designs by the brand Nijiyura, which also contributes a popular item to the CRAFTED FOR LEXUS lifestyle collection, 100 guests enjoyed making their own truly unique fans.

LEXUS served as sponsor for Vogue Fashion’s Night Out 2018, the world’s largest shopping event and held for the tenth time that same day across stores in the Omotesando, Aoyama, and Harajuku area. In front of the entrance to the main venue of the Omotesando Hills, the LEXUS LC flagship coupe was on display and many participants and passersby jumped at the opportunity to take photos with the car.

At the INTERSECT workshop, participants could pick their personal choice of Nijiyura cloth material from 20 different patterns along with the Nijiyura Multi Cloth item included in the CRAFTED FOR LEXUS lineup, which features a design inspired by the LEXUS spindle grille. Guests carefully affixed their selected pattern onto the fan’s ribs and frame, which were made using bamboo in the traditional marugame uchiwa “round fan” craft style from Kagawa Prefecture.

Based in Sakai in the south of Osaka, Nijiyura makes Japanese multi cloths called tenugui. The brand uses a traditional method of hand-dyeing called chusen, in which fabrics over 20 meters in length are folded over and over again before pigments are poured on to create the patterns. While the dyeing is performed manually, it is nonetheless efficient and dyes both the top and bottom of the cloth.

“This was our first attempt at a workshop making fans with multi cloths on both sides,” said Nijiyura’s Keisuke Tanaka. “There were so many potential combinations of patterns," he enthused. “We wanted everyone to have their own fun with the colors mixed in the distinctive style of chusen.”

After participants had finished making their fans, the final fragrant touch came courtesy of essential oils from Junoca Soap, a brand also based in Sakai. The essential oils were an original Junoca Soap blend of patchouli, geranium, and peppermint with homemade lemon eucalyptus. The resulting aroma is not only refreshing and cool, but also functions as an insect repellent.

“This workshop where people could combine their own choice of patterns was the kind of event that is fun for all ages,” remarked Junoca Soap’s Hidenori Hanai, who was on hand to help instruct participants how to make the fans during the workshop. “The guests enjoyed the sense of achievement they could get from making a fan that was special and unique to them, as well as the relaxing and healing properties of the Junoca Soap aroma.”

We spoke to two sisters who took part after seeing the event on Instagram on the day. “I already knew about Nijiyura, so I was pleased that I could join the workshop,” one of them said. For their fans, the pair both chose Nijiyura multi cloths in ice cream patterns. “It was fun!” they remarked as they left the venue. In this way, each and every workshop participant was able to create vibrantly colored fans that they could design according to their own personal tastes and feelings. With their completed fans in hand, they then departed INTERSECT and returned to the bustling streets of Minami Aoyama to join the crowds enjoying Vogue Fashion’s Night Out.

CRAFTED FOR LEXUS
https://lexus.jp/international/brand/intersect/tokyo/crafted-for-lexus-index/

CRAFTED FOR LEXUS Nijiyura Multi Cloth
https://lexus.jp/international/brand/intersect/tokyo/crafted-for-lexus/#nijiyura

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out 2018
https://www.vogue.co.jp/fno/