COLLECTION OF SCARVES, PORCELAIN AND KIMONOS
THE TALE OF PRINCE GENJI
LIMITED NUMBERED COLLECTION
ONLY PRINTED ON 100% ORGANIC SILK TWILL
200 PIECES IN SIZES 100x100, 90x90 cm, 70x70 and 47x47 cm and
200 PIECES OF NARROW TWILLY SCARVES 124X7 CM
SCARVES HAVE LUXURIOUS HAND-ROLLED EMBROIDERY
THE PACKAGE OF SILK SCARVES INCLUDES A CERTIFICATE
WITH SERIAL NUMBER
The tale of prince Genji
Long ago, in distant Japan, there lived Prince Genji, the son of the emperor and a beautiful but unimportant court lady. His origins guaranteed him an exceptional position, but also provoked envy and political intrigue. From his youth, Genji, known as the Shining Prince, was blessed with extraordinary beauty, gentle manners and a talent for music and poetry. His life unfolded at the imperial court, where celebrations alternated with moments of silence and contemplation, and where every joy was accompanied by a shadow of transience. As a young man, Genji sought love, but it often eluded him amid the many beautiful faces of the seemingly perfect court ladies. Within the palace walls, Genji got to experience all shades of human emotions—tenderness, jealousy, passion and sadness. Among all the people he met, the most captivating was Lady Murasaki. She was gentle, cultured and wise, and her presence was able to calm even Genji's restless heart. The radiant prince often sat under the sakura trees and listened to the rustling of the leaves, while the world around him was filled with music, poetry, and talk of love. Each season brought new joys and sorrows—spring brought the scent of flowers, summer a hot breeze, autumn golden leaves, and winter a silence in which the heart withdrew into itself. Everything he experienced was like a flowing river—unique moments of happiness and beauty, completely fleeting. Genji spent many years among courtiers, friends and loved ones; his life was a tangle of love and sorrow. Ultimately, however, he was forced to leave the splendor of the palace for his transgressions and seek peace away from the hustle and bustle of intrigues. At the end of his life, Genji was overcome by longing and inner conflict—he considered becoming a monk, but was never able to completely break free from his previous life. Nevertheless, his story continued—in the hearts of those he loved, in the memories that carried his life on, and in the footsteps of his descendants. The story of Prince Genji thus became not only a tale of one man, but also of the beauty and transience of life, of love that brings both joy and sorrow, and of a world where every moment is precious.
A summary of the Heian-period Japanese novel by Murasaki Shikibu, written around 1020.
AUTHORS OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS
MARTINA KARAFIÁTOVÁ
founder and designer of the brand Silky Gang
To add a Japanese motif among Silky Gang’s scarf designs had been a dream of mine long before I first visited Japan in 2023, when – during an intense three-week trip – I visited so many iconic places and drew inspiration for what the new collection would look like. The Tale of Genji captivated me mainly because the novel was written by a female author Murasaki Shikibu around the year 1020. The prince’s love stories were extremely popular at the Japanese imperial court during that time. Choosing illustrator Bára Srp Žižková to develop the design was ideal for several reasons. Her work is full of Asian motifs and themes, and she even lived in Japan for over a year. I also liked her artistic style, which added yet another dimension to the Silky Gang’s portfolio. To express Genji’s longing for perfect love, I chose the design of four women dressed in kimonos. Each of them wears a kimono featuring a motif representing one of the four seasons. Cherry blossoms for spring, peonies for summer, maple leaves for fall, and plum blossoms for winter. Their long hair references the Heian period, during which the novel is set. The quartet represents the passage of time as well as the prince’s search for the perfect woman. The flowing shapes of the kimonos resemble origami. The secondary pattern, which complements the main one, is dominated by umbrellas and chrysanthemums, a symbol of the Japanese imperial court. Clouds line the edge of the scarf, an artistic element referencing traditional Japanese illustrations. They add depth to the scene and offer a bird’s-eye view of the entire composition, as if they were parting for a moment before the viewer’s eyes. The scarves’ color palette ranges from red through pink to indigo blue, accented with black. The entire collection is complemented by a set of porcelain—plates and bowls featuring motifs of the four seasons in their centers. We photographed the collection both in Tokyo, in a one hundred years old traditional house, and in japanese restaurant Miyabi in Prague, with Japanese ballet dancers from the National Theater.
BÁRA SRP ŽIŽKOVÁ - illustrator
From the very beginning, I was thrilled to collaborate on a design inspired by the Tale of Prince Genji. It’s a theme that’s close to my heart, and I knew I could immerse myself in it completely. Martina had come up with a great direction, which we then developed further together. I selected specific elements and motifs from traditional patterns found on fabrics and decorative items. The illustration is also complemented by traditional motifs found on fans. Drawing the Prince Genji motif was a challenge for me due to its complexity and the intricacy of its composition. Together with Martina, however, we found the best way to bring all the elements together so that the motif tells this ancient story of the search for love in all its richness and beauty. I studied graphic design and then animation at the Václav Hollar School of Art in Prague. I am a freelance illustrator. I primarily work on book covers and book illustrations for various publishers and authors. I also contribute illustrations to magazines and work on commercial projects. My main interests are folklore aesthetics, symbolism, and cultural anthropology. In my work, I explore themes of travel and traditional Asian cultures, particularly Japanese culture. I lived in Japan for a year, during which time I gathered information and worked on my own book about traditional Japanese culture, The Japanese Atlas.
SCARF MATERIAL AND PACKAGING
The author's design is printed on 100% organic silk twill with HAND-rolled hem.
The scarves are stored in handmade boxes. The package also includes certificates with a fairy tale and an original string with a pearl button. This is used to tie the scarves and arrange them on clothing. Scarves made of 100% organic silk have a unique serial number of printing in their certificates. They are produced in limited series - only 200 pieces 100X100, 90x90 cm, 70x70 cm, 47x47 cm and 200 pieces in the size 124x7 cm. The scarf patterns are also printed on fine cotton with silk. I complement the entire collection with handmade jewelry with semi-precious stones and minerals.