Today I have a story. It started a few months ago with a random email from a man named Robin Williams. He saw what I was I was doing with up-cycled kimonos and wanted to give me his grandmother’s obi for use in my work.  Although I had discussed cutting this Obi up, it soon became clear that I should preserve it. This was clearly something very special indeed! 

On this week’s episode of Haute Takes, I chat with Jules and Madi about my career in fashion thus far. I am open and honest about the challenges and anxieties that I have faced throughout different points in my career, hopefully speaking directly to those who are both excited and anxious about what the future holds. So, if you know someone who is just starting out in the fashion world, or you simply miss my laugh, this pod might be worth a listen!

Mariko discusses small business lessons learned during her first year and how the co-founder of Kae Manning studio helped get her one-of-a-kind, up-cycled kimonos on Karamo Brown for season five of Queer Eye on Netflix!

Given my personal affinity for black culture, which I often find as a source of inspiration and beauty for my designs, my heart is heavy from current events and I will not be silent or complicit in regards to racial injustice in the United States (or anywhere for that matter). Via ShoppingGives Mariko Ichikawa will donate 15% of every Kimono sale to Campaign Zero. Campaign Zero is a police reform campaign associated with #blacklivesmatter and #8cantwait.