Epson and Yuima Nakazato Unveil Sustainable Innovation at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week
Epson collaborated with YUIMA NAKAZATO on the designer’s Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture collection, Silent, presented last week in Paris.
Inspired by a journey to Yakushima Island, Nakazato set out to translate the presence of ancient cedar trees and river-worn stones into couture.
Staged without music, the show invited audiences to listen to the sound of the earth itself, and to the breath of the bodies wearing the garments, in contrast to today’s constant electronic noise.
This approach combines the delicate texture of natural silk with a sharp visual aesthetic created by raw, unhemmed edges, resulting in an unprecedented form of expression.
While ink is traditionally used to print patterns and create visual designs, transparent ink was intentionally chosen to highlight a new expression of silk.
Although invisible to the eye, its presence is certain, making this new vision for the garment a reality and demonstrating the expanded creative potential of direct-to-fabric digital printing.
For this project, second-hand clothing collected from around the world, including Kenya, was used as raw material.
By combining Epson’s latest technology for processing these materials into new fibres with traditional Japanese urushi lacquer techniques passed down since ancient times, the partnership succeeded in creating a truly unique and original material.
Dry Fiber Technology is Epson’s proprietary process that uses almost no water to transform materials into fibres, enhancing both functionality and performance.
About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world.
Epson advances sustainable textile production through precision digital printing and proprietary dry technologies that enable designers to rethink materials, process, and performance.
We constantly strive to create innovative products that are reliable, recyclable and energy efficient because at Epson, we know that planning for the future requires a strong commitment to the environment.
About Epson Europe bv
At Epson Europe we constantly strive to create innovative products that are reliable, recyclable and energy efficient because at Epson, we know that planning for the future requires a strong commitment to the environment.
All of Epson’s European activities are geared towards achieving the goals set out in our Environmental Vision 2050 plan, and we are always happy to hear constructive ideas on how we can deliver those commitments and more.
