Gamaguchi ‘kiss lock’ purse

This purse bag uses upcycled kimono fabric as its feature. The base and sides are a magenta pink cotton and the inside fabric is a polka dot design adding a bit of fun with the contrasting prints.

Gamaguchi is the traditional design of Japanese purses. “Gamaguchi” literally means frog’s mouth and refers to its unique shape. In Japanese the double play of meaning on the words is used in the hope of returning money and luck to you. 

Rumiko and Saki, the two women behind the brand En, are a mother-daughter duo who began designing handmade purses and bags in 2013 by repurposing old kimonos and obi belts. Their design motto is to ‘make things that go with any outfit’ whether that’s kimono or western clothing and so, nowadays, along with kimono fabric they also use a variety of other fabrics to create their accessories.