Daily Lives of a Dry Cleaner – Episode 1: The Hidden Story Behind a Japanese Kimono

Recently, we received a special dry cleaning request from a customer – a traditional Japanese Kimono.

As a laundry and dry cleaning service provider, we come across all kinds of garments every day. Business shirts, wedding gowns, curtains, traditional costumes… and occasionally, something that makes us stop and think.

This time, it was a Japanese Kimono.

This particular kimono reminded us of an interesting chapter in Japanese fashion history during the Edo Period (1603–1868).

Back then, Japan was experiencing a long period of peace and economic growth. Merchants became increasingly wealthy through trade and finance, and naturally, they started spending more on luxury items such as kimonos, jewellery, and other fashionable goods. The ruling class wasn't too happy about this. They worried that luxury fashion was becoming a way for commoners to blur social boundaries, so restrictions were introduced. Ordinary people were expected to wear simple colours like navy, brown, and grey, and were banned from wearing extravagant patterns.

But as history often shows, creativity finds a way.

Instead of giving up on fashion, textile makers became even more creative. They developed sophisticated techniques to create beauty through subtle details, as well as countless variations of subtle colours, including:

* 48 shades of navy

* ⁠48 shades of brown

* ⁠100 shades of grey

From a distance, these garments looked simple and understated. Up close, however, they revealed incredibly detailed patterns and craftsmanship⬇️⬇️

Image Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Library – Great Edo Fashion: Edo Residents Preferred Quiet Elegance.

This style became known as Edo Komon.

Many of these tiny patterns were hand-carved onto washi paper, and creating a single stencil could take weeks.

Designers even started hiding luxurious details inside the kimono itself. Rich linings and intricate artwork would be placed where only the wearer knew they existed.

This idea became known as "Ura-masari" (裏勝り), sometimes translated as "hidden victory" or what we might call today "quiet luxury."

The Japanese even had a word for this sense of understated elegance: "iki".

It wasn't about showing off. It was about appreciating beauty, craftsmanship, and attention to detail, even when nobody else could see it.

Reading about this made me wonder:

If we lived in the Edo Period, would laundry service providers and dry cleaners have been considered part of the artisan class?

After all, caring for garments, preserving fabrics, and maintaining clothing quality also requires skill, patience, and craftsmanship.

For those unfamiliar with the social structure of Edo Japan, society was organised into a four-tier hierarchy consisting of Samurai, Farmers, Artisans, and Merchants. (Source: Wikipedia – Edo Society)

Perhaps some things never really change.

Every garment tells a story.

Sometimes, a simple dry cleaning order leads us to discover one.

Have an interesting garment that needs special care?

From traditional costumes and delicate fabrics to wedding gowns and formal wear, Cloud Story provides convenient laundry pickup and dry cleaning services across Singapore.

Maybe your garment has a story too.