Art that can be touched - KAKAN's knitwear and what's to come

Clothing is art that touches the skin.
Fabric woven with the thoughts of its creator is
as warm as hand-spun yarn,
and as strong as machine-woven yarn.
People feel the philosophy of the creator by wearing their clothes.

Clothing is a mirror reflecting emotions.
Colors represent mood,
shapes represent style,
materials represent texture.
I entrust my heart to my clothes.
I express the comfort I feel, and also the pain.

“Wearing KAKAN”

It's a special moment in everyday life.
In the morning, when you open your closet,
who do you want to be today?
Choosing clothes is
choosing yourself, expressing your thoughts.

Live true to yourself.
Be able to love yourself.
Be able to be proud of yourself.

May the daily act of wearing clothes
become a part of your life.
I continue to make clothes
to inspire you to live authentically.

I enjoy myself by making clothes.
I transcend myself by making clothes.
I believe that you are in my clothes.

(brand message : KAKAN)

KAKAN is a designer brand

created by designer Kakan Kudo.

We are featuring KAKAN just before the launch of their 25AW collection and in conjunction with pre-orders.

Please discover the appeal of KAKAN, where the delicate sensibility and meticulous craftsmanship unique to a Japanese designer are fused with creativity cultivated from an international perspective.

The main buyer at Amanojak. also delves into the charm of KAKAN in their buyer's note, so please take a look at that as well.
"A new brand that will cause the biggest stir this season"

KAKAN

Established in 2024, KAKAN is a Japanese knit brand founded by designer Kakan Kudo.

KAKAN integrates an international perspective gained from studies at Central Saint Martins and Istituto Marangoni Milano with a delicate Japanese aesthetic. Guided by the unique philosophy that "clothing is art that touches the skin," KAKAN continues to quietly but steadily redefine the traditional concept of knitwear.

Fabrics woven with the thoughts of their creator are as warm as hand-spun yarn and as strong as machine-woven yarn.

People feel the philosophy of the creator by wearing their clothes, and clothing becomes a mirror reflecting emotions.

Colors express mood, shapes express style, and materials express texture.

For Kakan Kudo, fashion is a way of life itself, understanding and respecting "coexistence."

At the same time, it is also a means to confront and engage with it.

What KAKAN values most is the idea that the value of a product is maximized when it is loved and used for a long time.

Appropriate materials are chosen, produced in the right way, to uplift the wearer's mood, and those who share space with the wearer can also enjoy seeing them.

This is the essence of KAKAN's manufacturing philosophy.

Designer Profile

Kakan Kudo

Born in Tokyo in 1998.

Graduated from the Foundation Course at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, in 2018.

She then studied fashion design at Istituto Marangoni in Milan, graduating in 2022.

KAKAN was established in 2024.

She is a designer who pursues her unique aesthetic by fusing her international educational experience with her Japanese identity.

As expressed in her words, "The reason I love fashion and dressing up is that it allows me to 'like myself a little bit more'," she values fostering inner confidence in the wearer.

【HAND-SPUN KNITWEAR】

Hand-Spun Knitwear

One of KAKAN's signature techniques is hand-knitted garments made from hand-spun yarn.

Knitwear design typically begins with textile design, but KAKAN takes a deeper approach to materials by adding the process of "spinning yarn."

The ability to freely adjust the texture differences based on sheep breed and color combinations allows for textile design akin to painting with watercolors.

The knitting process also differs from conventional garment making; knitting begins without deciding on the final shape.

This is an unprecedented method where the material itself explores the shape it wants to become as it is being knitted.

This was made possible because the hand-spun yarn had an irregular shape and the entire garment was constructed with an openwork pattern.

The tightly twisted and crimped parts stretch unevenly under the forces and weight when worn, creating unexpected movements and expressions.

The characteristic of KAKAN's hand-spun knitwear lies in its wild charm, which is not found in industrially produced items, and the technology that suggests its potential for wearability.

【WHOLE GARMENT TECHNOLOGY】

Fusion with Whole Garment Technology

Another distinctive technique of KAKAN is the combination of hand-spun knitwear and Whole Garment technology.

Whole Garment refers to machine-knitted garments that are knitted in a tubular form from the beginning, significantly reducing the sewing process and minimizing the amount of yarn used.

Since there are no seams throughout the garment, it achieves dresses that beautifully fit the body even with sheer materials.

Minimizing material use and saving labor in future production processes should be considered in all manufacturing, and this leads to contemplating the optimal sustainability for one's creativity and methods of expression.

KAKAN believes that this method, which fuses the warmth of handwork with the precision of machine technology, not only leads to better quality craftsmanship but also to tolerant and rich imagination.

【SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS】

Sustainable Material Selection

KAKAN's approach to sustainability is not loudly proclaimed.

Rather, it quietly pursues essential sustainability.

Collections are created by carefully considering whether products using "eco-friendly" or "recycled" materials are truly so.

For example, while fake leather and plant-based leather are considered good for the environment, they may not age beautifully over time and could deteriorate in a few years.

Knitwear, which is central to KAKAN's production, often uses animal hair, but for some animals, only the wool from babies or young animals is valued for its quality and rarity.

However, there is also a second option here.

Adult wool may not be as soft as imagined, but it is excellent in toughness and durability and lasts a very long time.

Whether animal or plant, we need to understand and respect "coexistence" with what is given to us by nature, rather than unilaterally consuming it.

This is KAKAN's basic philosophy regarding sustainability.

【25AW COLLECTION - SPRING EPHEMERAL】

2025 Autumn/Winter Collection

The theme of the KAKAN Fall/Winter 25-26 collection is "Spring Ephemeral."

This refers to a collective term for plants that bloom as the snow melts, then wither and return underground before spring fully arrives.

These plants, which only appear above ground for two months and spend the rest of their time underground, possess a duality of strength and fragility.

The vitality that allows them to overcome the harsh cold of every winter attracts the few insects that are active during the short period from late winter to early spring.

There is also a theory that the reason Spring Ephemerals survived the Ice Age and continue to exist today is because people in the Jomon period continued to care for them.

Through this theme, Kakan Kudo confronts the complexities of modern society.

In an age where the fear of the "unknown" often translates into the "easy to understand," she expresses the idea that all things have aspects beyond a single "answer," such as visible and invisible, right and wrong, good and evil.

This creative approach, stemming from the question of whether our senses and thoughts might be limited to what we can actually see, leads to a more tolerant and rich imagination.

【DESIGN PHILOSOPHY】

Design Philosophy

For KAKAN, the most important thing is that fashion allows the wearer to "like themselves a little bit."

The interplay between clothing and wearer, playfulness, and an inner confidence that emanates from being authentic.

That is the beauty KAKAN wants to bring to people.

In the morning, when you open your closet, there is a moment when you ask yourself, "Who do I want to be today?"

Choosing clothes is choosing yourself, expressing your thoughts.

Even if all garments are the same product, they are never the same garment when worn by different people.

This is because just as all materials and garments have their characteristics, the people who wear them are also authentic, diverse, and individual.

Striving to capture what fashion truly is leads not only to better quality manufacturing but also to a tolerant and rich imagination.

KAKAN believes that this is precisely sensibility, and it is the very essence of enjoying clothes and, by extension, life itself.

【ARTISANAL CRAFTSMANSHIP】

Artisanal Craftsmanship and Creativity

KAKAN aims for "tangible design" and "art."

When appreciating artworks, one is often not allowed to touch them, but clothing directly touches the bare skin and mucous membranes, conveying the creator's thoughts and philosophy to the user.

Beyond functionality for comfortable living, KAKAN approaches fashion design through uniqueness and communication that can excite and thrill the wearer.

May the daily act of wearing clothes, and the choices made, become a part of the wearer's life and a companion for thinking about the future.

This is a crucial concept that will continue to guide KAKAN's creations.

Please experience the works filled with KAKAN's spirit, which explores the further evolution and deepening of knitwear, universally yet innovatively, through traditional handcrafts and innovative technology.

(written by SHIRAKAWA)