MIKOSHI Bag, a new product from Re:ADY B, an ethical fashion brand from Hiroshima Prefecture operated by Setouchi Mirai Design Inc. (Head office: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture; Representative Director: Natsukari Noda; hereinafter, Setouchi Mirai Design), has won a Gold Winner award at the London Design Awards 2026, an international design award whose winners include global corporations. This is the first time a Japanese company has won an award in the Fashion Design category.
What is the "London Design Awards 2026"?
The London Design Awards are an international design award organized by the International Awards Associate (IAA), with submissions from over 124 countries worldwide. The IAA, which operates the awards, has a track record of over 100,000 entries to date.
Judging is conducted anonymously (blind judging), and evaluations are based on pure design quality, innovation, and social impact, rather than company size.
Re:ADY B was recognized for its initiative to upcycle kimonos and obi that were on the verge of being discarded, involving welfare facilities in the sewing process, and integrating the traditional metal engraving techniques of Hiroshima Buddhist altars, leading to this award.
The "MIKOSHI Bag," which received the award, is part of a new brand series announced on March 5, 2026, and features a handle created using the metal engraving technique of Hiroshima Buddhist altars, which are designated as traditional Japanese crafts.
About the MIKOSHI Bag
Its name is derived from "mikoshi," the portable shrines carried through the streets during Japanese festivals. Mikoshi are made using traditional metalworking techniques also found in Buddhist altars and temple decorations. This bag was designed not merely as a tool to carry belongings, but as an object that carries the "story behind it" itself.
Instead of simply cutting the obi as a material, its original width is utilized as the foundation for the bag's structure, allowing the woven pattern to continue uninterrupted, and even the plain, unadorned parts are incorporated as side panels.
▶︎MIKOSHI series
The hand-carved brass handle is handcrafted by Mr. Yoshida, the fifth-generation craftsman of Yoshida Butsudan Kanagu Seisakusho in Hiroshima, established in 1890. Mr. Yoshida is the last artisan to inherit the hand-carved metal engraving technique passed down through Hiroshima Buddhist altars, and the arabesque pattern engraved on the handle symbolizes "eternity," "prosperity," and "regeneration."
Additionally, the leather trim is hand-stitched one by one by artisans working at Yassa Kobo Nishimachi, a Type B employment support facility in Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The "MIKOSHI Bag" is a unique product that can only be completed by combining the techniques of three companies. Re:ADY B aims to highlight not only the superficial patterns and designs of "wa" (Japanese style), but also the techniques, philosophies, and craftsmanship rooted in its background, re-editing the values that were once "normal" in Japanese life as modern standards, and passing them on to the next generation.
Going forward, Re:ADY B will continue to strive for a society where everyone can work with a sense of purpose, while addressing social issues in traditional crafts, welfare, and the fashion industry through product development.
