The future of fashion co-created with YUIMA NAKAZATO

Epson had a hand in the production of couture pieces from Yuima Nakazato's new MAGMA collection, five of which were displayed at the private exhibition. The exhibition gave guests a chance for an up-close view of pieces that were actually shown during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, in July 2023.
The exhibition highlighted fashions made from thin, soft, silk organdy fabric patterned using a digital textile printer. It also featured pieces created from nonwoven fabric prints. The nonwoven fabric was made from used clothing processed using Epson's Dry Fiber Technology.
Epson's latest digital textile printer, an ML-13000 prototype, was used to print on some of the silk fabrics. Pigment ink, which does not need to be steamed and washed after printing, was used, and the pre-treatment that are needed for digital textile printing were selectively applied only where needed. This enabled the creation of pieces that preserve silk organdy's characteristic softness and texture. Guests, including customers and members of the media, had the opportunity to touch and experience the quality of the pieces firsthand.

2023-24 Autumn-Winter Collection

During a talk session between designer Yuima Nakazato and Hitoshi Igarashi, Mr. Nakazato, taking the actual garments in hand, talked about how surprised the company that produced the silk fabric used in the collection was by the consistency and quality of the prints that were obtained on a thin fabric like silk organdy in a continuous printing process. He also spoke about the inkjet technology and pigment ink process that brought his creations to life. Mr. Igarashi said that the prints for Nakazato-san's collection were made at Epson's Solution Center in Fujimi, a town in Nagano Prefecture. He expressed his hope that the Solution Centers that Epson has been establishing around the world over the past several years will put us into direct contact with customers and show them firsthand the value of Epson's solutions.

Junkichi Yoshida presented an overview of Epson's journey, highlighting our environmental initiatives and contributions to the fashion industry through inkjet solutions while showing footage from a television commercial that we broadcast this year. He then summarized the projects that Epson and design house Yuima Nakazato have engaged in over the past year since the partnership with formed.

Scenes from a documentary film that provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the production of Yuima Nakazato's couture collection were premiered at this event. Filmed over a year, the documentary follows Nakazato from his visit to Kenya to the presentation of his collection in Paris. This film also portrays the support provided by Epson during the production of Yuima Nakazato's collection utilizing digital textile printing technology and Dry Fiber Technology.¹ The documentary's theatrical release is scheduled for 2024.
The film's director, Kosai Sekine, and Mr. Nakazato reflected on their experiences in Kenya, shared stories from the filming process, and elaborated on their thoughts and aspirations heading up to the completion of the film.