EZO/slash series medium tote bag (42,120 yen), bear-shaped pouch (4,860 yen each), pouch with an Ezo sika deer antler fastener (6,480 yen), card case (10,800 yen) *All prices are inclusive of tax
| FEATURE ARTICLES | Hokkaido Souvenirs EZO/slash series medium tote bag (42,120 yen), bear-shaped pouch (4,860 yen each), pouch with an Ezo sika deer antler fastener (6,480 yen), card case (10,800 yen) *All prices are inclusive of tax
The expression "like snow" is perfect for Ezo sika deerskin. It's rugged but you can sense its ephemeral nature as well. It may be considered a record of life in the snow the deer saw while running around the forest in winter. Designer and leather craftsperson Kiriko Takase's 24K brand Ezo sika deerskin products feature refined, elegant shapes and a supple warmth.
Kiriko Takase, designer and craftperson of 24K
Takase only uses carefully selected leather. Like with meat, freshness is important for leather. "If you quickly process a hide after removing it from a deer, it is more likely to become high-quality leather. I change the designs of the items I create depending on the condition of the finished leather," she says.
The EZO series. In addition to regular bags, she also makes wine bags.
Since making her debut in 2010, she has been creating new series. They now include the EZO series, in which she sews leather pieces together into three-dimensional forms, the EZO/slash series, in which she connects pieces of leather together diagonally, EZO Ink, in which she embosses designs onto the surface of leather, and the EZO Collage series of collages of canvas and leather.
And this year, in collaboration with the tinware manufacturer Nousaku in Takaoka city, Toyama prefecture — a town known for metal casting — she has designed a tin cup with an Ezo sika deerskin holder. It is a combination of two very different things: metal and leather.
The cup is embossed with a Japanese white birch bark pattern and the mold was made from an etching by Takase. The Ezo sika deerskin out of which the holder is made is completely waterproof. Ezo sika deerskin gently envelops the pleasantly cool cup. There may be no product with a more suitable combination of materials. Ezo sika deerskin products make the perfect gift for back home after visiting Hokkaido.
Tin cup and Ezo sika deerskin cup holder set (11,880yen)
1F MUSEUM, 6 Minami 3-jo Higashi 2-chome,
Chuo-ku Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Tel.& Fax.: 011-595-8181（24K Office）
Website(Japanese)
