Cultural mix in weave and print The Japanese textile and clothes designer Akira Minagawa has had his own design company with shops/workshops in Shirokanedai, Tokyo, since the mid-1990s. He is famous for his minä perhonen clothes label, which is characterised by its feminine, romantic style.

Minagawa established the minä clothing label in 1995 then, eight years later, he added perhonen, which is the Finnish word for butterfly. He felt that the butterfly was an appropriately pretty symbol for his designs, as his extremely artistic and feminine clothing collections evoke images of butterfly wings fluttering in the air. Minagawa is absolutely fascinated by Scandinavian design and is a huge fan of Arne Jacobsen.

A few years ago, the opportunity arose for collaboration between Minagawa and Kvadrat, with Kvadrat’s textiles forming the backdrop for the new Minagawa designs. The results of Minagawa’s first collection for Kvadrat are the three upholstery fabrics Tambourine Hallingdal, Tambourine Lazio and Ikat Flower along with one curtain fabric: Big Flower. At Kvadrat, Minagawa is admired for his skill and the attention to detail he incorporates. He has a hugely fundamental grasp of the craftsmanship involved in textile production, weaving, printing and embroidery, which is clearly evident in his clothing collection.

Minagawa’s philosophy that his designs must not be tied to seasons teams well with the production of upholstery and curtain fabric, which of course is intended for use over many seasons and is not restricted to any particular time of year. The wealth of detail and refinements are also evident in the products that have resulted from Akira Minagawa’s collaboration with Kvadrat.

This is Kvadrat’s first foray into embroidered upholstery and the craftsmanship required to produce the ikat weave demands great expertise and precision. Thus, working with Akira Minagawa has opened up new scope for using and combining Kvadrat’s products.

Minimum order quantity : 1 meter. The fabrics cannot be exchanged or refunded.

Price per meter. Delivery time : depends on stock.