Artist Biography: Shuka Naruo


It all began with an orange mini-skirt I made from a wool fabric when I was twenty-one. For the next ten years, I taught myself how to sew by taking apart pieces by famous designer houses, studying how they were made. Having no prior formal training allowed me to express myself freely. Even as a novice designer, I worked with high quality material from France and Italy, recreating pieces first for myself, and then eventually for a handful of friends. Another ten years passed, and despite the confidence I gained in my skills, I felt restricted by using only western fabrics.

In the mid 80's, I experimented with traditionally dyed material by a Japanese textile artist, and found a new world of fabrics. As a result, I held my first show in Tokyo – the birth of Capa.

Soon after my first show, I was introduced to what would become the soul of Capa – kofu, antique kimono fabrics. The design potential by the use of kimono fabrics was enormous, given the wide range of materials, colors and patterns. Mainly utilizing pre-war fabrics and solid color or geometric subtle patterns to emphasize weathered texture, I began to design and create three-dimensional pieces, utilizing the patterns to recreate a new pattern. Cutting on the bias, using both sides of the fabrics, and the unique stitching gave birth to the distinct style of Capa.

In the next ten years, my work expanded into stage design and costume design for professional Buto dancers, experimenting with different techniques and materials. I also held exhibitions on a regular basis, first in Kyoto, and then in Tokyo, culminating in a large-scale exhibition, "Kofu Reborn," held at the prestigious Wacoal Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo in 1997.

After a yearlong period of intensive and creative production, Capa once again went through a transformation – becoming "wearable art."