She might live in Brighton now, but Japanese born designer Nawako “Lala” Joy has never forgotten her roots. She created the fashion house Uroco with her husband David to give her birthplace’s kimonos new life.
Uroco takes vintage silk kimonos and carefully crafts them by hand into Asian inspired clutch purses, handbags, wraps, brooches, and belts.
All the items are beautiful, but I think the clutch purses are my favorites. They’d really pop against a little black dress or simple evening ensemble, or lend an air of authenticity to Asian inspired nightwear. Each one is fully lined with denim and fitted with a handcrafted wooden handle, which also gives the clutches their structure. These handles are small and a bit fiddly to manage, so I’m thrilled to see Uroco also offers us a tortoiseshell effect chain strap. As each purse is made from vintage silk kimonos each one is also a one-of-a-kind, which is a real plus for girls who love to stand out in a crowd.
Uroco’s husband and wife team sells its wares at London’s Portobello Markets each Saturday, but you needn’t plan a trip to the United Kingdom to own one of these beautiful and green accessories. They’re also available through the Uroco and Boticca websites.
