Butterfly Brooch

“Airiness” and “free” are the concepts of this design.

While using precious materials, I tried to reproduce butterflies’ thin and airy wings.

I am really honored that my design won an award in this category of the Award even though mine is an embroidery work. I am committed to making “Art Jewelry” known around the world.

I taught myself embroidery, and 30 years ago I invented and created the "3D embroidery" technique that is currently gaining attention on social media.I was fascinated by the shape and pattern of a butterfly's wings as it fluttered about, and wanted to create a butterfly that could open and close its wings to move and shape like a real butterfly. I analyzed many butterflies to create a work that was as close as possible to the real thing in terms of the shape, movement, and texture of the wings, and developed a unique double-sided 3D embroidery technique that combines a unique wire technique and double-sided embroidery.The design, which is delicately stitched with a single strand of various types of thread and perfectly reproduces the thinness and shine of a butterfly's wings, radiates beauty like a living butterfly itself. With the unique double-sided 3D embroidery technique, not only the front side when the wings are open, but also the back side when closed is beautifully finished.While the work is completely three-dimensional when viewed from any angle, it is also possible to freely change the shape of the wings. With this technique, I was able to express a realistic and elegant butterfly design that looks as if it were alive.From designs that recreate realistic butterflies such as the Helena Morpho butterfly, to engraved butterflies adorned with natural stones and pearls, to platinum butterflies and real gold butterflies lavishly incorporating diamonds and pearls, we have created a wide variety of designs. Each piece has its own unique brilliance and elegance that captivates the viewer.

After seeing a news report about an obi sash that used real gold and platinum threads to depict the Kinkaku-ji Temple in weaving, I wanted to make platinum butterflies and real gold butterfly jewelry using these threads, so I began researching how to obtain them.Real gold and platinum threads were specially developed by a thread manufacturer in Nishijin, Kyoto for companies that make obi and uchikake kimonos, and are extremely valuable and not available to the general public. In order to obtain such thread, I was introduced to someone who does business with a thread manufacturer, and after six months of work, I was finally able to get my hands on it.Although the manufacturer told me that "it is intended for weaving, and is too hard to use for embroidery," I succeeded in creating platinum butterflies and real gold butterflies using my own unique techniques.

The four wings, finished using a unique wire technique and double-sided embroidery, are attached to a brooch pin, and the butterfly itself is designed as a brooch. After years of trial and error and experimentation, we developed a unique technique that pursues durability so that the wings would not break when repeatedly opened and closed.By tailoring the brooch pin to the body of the butterfly, we have created a brooch with the shape and movement of a real butterfly, with the wings able to open and close freely. This design recreates an elegant and lively butterfly, as if it were alive.