story
As a child, I used to think, "I wish I could go to an amusement park." On holidays, my parents would take me to museums and galleries instead. My childhood photo album is filled with snapshots of such places. Many artists visited our family home, and I remember the numerous paintings hanging on the walls. The phrase "zaben shiyu" means that the things around you are your teachers and friends. In this sense, I have always had art by my side. My playground became the Kahitsukan museum. It is a place my father established to question preconceptions, a space where everything is subject to doubt.
In my twenties, I participated in the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) launch in Paris, an experience that shaped the rest of my life. My world expanded, and I met many people through my work. One such encounter was with the French photographer Sarah Moon, with whom I made a photo book called Red Thread almost 20 years ago. When the book was completed, I told her about the east Asian belief that being united by a red thread means being connected by fate. The expression "red thread" acquired a special meaning between us from then on.
In the summer of 2016, I learned about Sarah's long-lasting friendship with the designer of a bag she has gifted me. Inspired by the story of their bond, I decided to start a brand based on collaborative relationships. That was the beginning of the edit. Life is full of unexpected coincidences. I want to take advantage of these happy connections and create products with a meaningful story. With gratitude to the red thread!
Yuki Kajikawa was born in Kyoto. She grew up in an artistic environment, surrounded by art from an early age. Her father founded the Kyoto Foundation of Contemporary Art. After graduating from university, she was involved in the launch of the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in the Marais district of Paris as a Japanese curator.
After returning to Japan, she worked as a curator at Kahitsukan, Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art, where she established the photography department in the museum. She has been in close contact with artists in Japan and abroad, planning exhibitions, editing photo books, and art directing. Based in Kyoto, she also writes and produces videos.
with Sarah Moon