Not currently on display at the V&A

Ripple Reed

Woven Textile
1997 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The NUNO Corporation was founded in 1984. Based in Tokyo, its design studio creates modern textiles and accessories. NUNO designers are renowned for their ability to develop and apply the latest technology to textile design and manufacture. However, much of their work is also based on traditional Japanese textile techniques and aesthetics, and it is this fusion of the traditional with the contemporary that makes NUNO fabrics so innovative. Ripple Reed has been produced using the technique most often used to weave lightweight summer kimono (yukata) and sashes. The reeds (osa) of the loom are typically flat, however Nuno has used a loom with rippled reeds, which gives the resultant fabric a beautiful natural horizontal wave pattern. Today only a handful of craftspeople can produce this finely detailed work, and fewer still can craft the rippled reeds for the loom.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleRipple Reed (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Woven nylon and silk
Brief description
Length 'Ripple Reed' of woven nylon and silk, designed and made by NUNO Corporation, Japan, 1997
Physical description
Length of silver grey nylon and silk with a natural horizontal wave pattern produced by the weaving method.
Dimensions
  • Width: 90cm
  • Length: 326cm
Production typeLimited edition
Copy number
SS-108
Credit line
Given by NUNO Corporation.
Object history
Historical significance: The Nuno design studio based in Tokyo creates modern textiles and accessories. They are renowned for their ability to develop and apply the latest technology to textile design and manufacture. However, much of their work is also based on traditional Japanese textile techniques and aesthetics.
Production
Attribution note: The NUNO corporation was founded to meet the middle ground between industry and handicraft- as a medium output production which is scaled to the contemporary market but still flexible enough to allow experimentation.
Reason For Production: Retail
Summary
The NUNO Corporation was founded in 1984. Based in Tokyo, its design studio creates modern textiles and accessories. NUNO designers are renowned for their ability to develop and apply the latest technology to textile design and manufacture. However, much of their work is also based on traditional Japanese textile techniques and aesthetics, and it is this fusion of the traditional with the contemporary that makes NUNO fabrics so innovative. Ripple Reed has been produced using the technique most often used to weave lightweight summer kimono (yukata) and sashes. The reeds (osa) of the loom are typically flat, however Nuno has used a loom with rippled reeds, which gives the resultant fabric a beautiful natural horizontal wave pattern. Today only a handful of craftspeople can produce this finely detailed work, and fewer still can craft the rippled reeds for the loom.
Collection
Accession number
T.120-1998

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Record createdApril 27, 2000
Record URL
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