The ONI "Kiwami" is the successor of the popular Oni "Kase". This updated version is focused on vertical fading. This masterpiece is made with a 16oz ultra-low tension weave natural indigo dyed fabric with a unique texture and colour.
Masao Oishi has been aiming for many years to create denim that can express the colour and texture unique to hank dyeing with rope dyeing.
With expertise and special techniques come from many years of experience, finally, the Kiwami fabric was made. In hank dyeing, the following steps are repeated; dip a bundle of cotton threads of a ring shape into a pot(containing natural indigo dye), soak it, take it out, squeeze it, and expose it to the air to oxidize. And threads' shades of indigo blue are determined by how many times this procedure (oxidation) is repeated.
The ONI Kiwami fabric is inspired by the "Awa-Shoai (阿波正藍)" traditional dying method. When weaving Kiwami, arranging the light and dark coloured rope dyed natural indigo threads in well balanced were required. Bringing detailed work and expertise, Kiwami could weave. It is as if denim just looks like "Awa-Shoai (阿波正藍)" denim, which is woven with shades of indigo blue threads hank dyed by craftsman. Kiwami is really great rope dyed natural indigo denim; there is nothing like others. Moreover, because threads are dyed by the rope dyeing method, threads' cores are white so that you can enjoy colour fades, gradation and ageing of denim. You cannot do it with the hank dyeing method because the threads are dyed to the core.
The result is a unique natural indigo fabric with a vast amount of slub and a beautiful hue of indigo shadows that only ONI can create. It's one of the most beautiful textiles we have ever seen (take a look at our close-up pictures of the fabric). It is highly irregular denim, both in terms of texture and colour. Thinner and thicker threads run through each other, changing from deep indigo to vibrant electric blue.
The jeans are made with all the superior-quality ONI details such as copper buttons, high-quality pocket bags and custom vegetable-tanned deerskin leather patch.
The cut is the ONI's 679 strong tapered fit. The taper is pretty aggressive so that it gives a slim-fitting silhouette while allowing for a lot of space at the thighs with a high rise.
The legend of ONI is alive to this day. In recent years Oishi-San has devoted himself to experimenting with widely varying grammages, rough textures, different indigo dyeing techniques and novelty cuts while always maintaining a very limited production and wielding his experience in denim which now goes back more than 60 years.
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