the kirei collection - design and inspiration

A revelation of new designs inspired by the elegant simplicity of ancient Japanese ink wash paintings. Subtle, elusive details accentuate simple but striking silhouettes. Contemporary fabrics, couture techniques, and innovative cuts combine to create an exquisite selection of understated pieces, ideal for the modern bride.

Read on to hear all about the inspiration behind the designs.

The Kirei Collection Campaign Film

A word from Hayley Neil, our designer and founder…

‘I went to Japan whilst travelling around Asia for my honeymoon and fell in love with how the peacefulness and tranquillity of Japanese design can be seen in everything, from ceramics and print to gardens and architecture. The use of negative space in both modern and ancient Japanese art is so inspiring to me. The intention to keep things as simple as possible with no unnecessary or frivolous detail, and let the basic form and essence of things speak for themselves. I think the idea of creating little pockets of calm in an increasingly chaotic world is very appealing, especially as a mum of two boisterous little boys… I appreciate peace and quiet in any form I can get it these days!

I was considering this as a starting point for the new collection, and also happened to see an exhibition of 18th century Japanese prints which showed the beautiful clothes worn by the courtesans of the time, and as a designer I couldn’t help but be inspired by the folds and drapes of the rich fabrics. Then coincidentally I saw a documentary about Japanese ‘sumi-e’ ink painting. Sumi-e is the embodiment of Japanese aesthetics, using just simple black ink and carefully curated white space, and I was blown away by the skill it takes to make such deceptively simple artworks look effortless when actually they’re the result of years of practice. I feel it’s similar to pattern cutting in that one sweep of the brush can change the whole picture, just as one perfectly positioned drape or fold of fabric can transform a dress. Like using fabric like a paintbrush.

Then I went on to research kimonos which are so beautifully simple in their construction but so modern in their decoration, even the ones from hundreds of years ago. There are many pieces in the collection which reveal or display the nape of the neck; this is because I read that the Japanese traditionally view the nape to be the most erogenous part of the body as it was one of the only areas left uncovered by the kimono. I learnt about kimonos which take a year to make, from the silk being produced, bound, dyed naturally with a particular type of mud, woven, cut and sewn. Every step of the way the fabric is being valued and made more precious. I feel like brides should be able to feel that way about their wedding dress; we try so hard at RIR to create an appreciation of everything from the design and construction of our pieces right down to the way they fasten and even the kind of thread they’re sewn with; take a look at the fabric descriptions at the bottom of each dress page on the website if you’re interested in all the tiny details; we obsess over them! There’s also more info about our work on the Atelier and Sustainability pages.

Quality, luxury fabrics are everything to us at RIR, and I’m over the moon to say that 94.8% of the fabrics used in this collection have sustainable certification; whether that’s organic, closed-loop, vegan, biodegradable, compostable, or recycled, meaning our materials are produced in ways that protect the environment, are low-carbon, protect natural resources like forests and water, and are cruelty-free and ethically made. And even the 5.2% of fabrics we use without certification are natural biodegradable fabrics, so we’re incredibly proud. I hope you love the new designs and can’t wait to see you wearing them!’

Love,

Hayley