Sheer Heaven for Textile Buyers : Texuba in Venice sells robes and obis that can be worn or used for design projects.
Hidden away on a side street in Venice is one of the largest suppliers of Japanese kimonos in the United States.
Texuba is the name on the door, and owner Ruby Uehara, a Japanese-American, scouts the cities and countryside of Japan several times a year to amass her collection, then wholesales to various manufacturers, retailers and costumers across the United States.
Artists, designers, decorators and textile junkies have just two months to stock up on vintage kimonos and obis at some wonderful bargain prices. More than 2,000 of these Japanese garments, from the 1920s to 1950s, are crowded into this small warehouse/showroom, where the prices are always good. Until the end of the year, the prices are better--everything in the place will be 30% off the original price.
As of Jan. 1, Uehara will operate Texuba as a mail-order house only, and the public will no longer be able to see the wares firsthand.
High-fashion designers and inspired home tailors create their own designs from parts of kimonos and obis that they use as unique textiles for each design piece. It could be a collage, blouse or vest re-created from a kimono, or a purse fabricated from an obi. Decorators create pillows, wall hangings and table runners from the usually ornate obis.
Kimonos have more yardage per piece than the obis, so they are more suitable for projects requiring more material. Most kimono fabrics are softer than obi textiles, so are more suited for designers who need softness and flowing lines in their designs.
An obi is a sash, usually from six to 13 inches wide, and about six to 12 feet long. It is meant to be wound around the waist of a kimono. The obi is usually made of woven brocaded textiles, and for those who are always searching for opulent, unique fabrics, these are treasures, each one different. The obis are regularly $5 to $60, but the sale brings those prices down to $3.50 to $42.
The largest selection of kimonos comes in two basic lengths, to the hip and to the ankle, and is sale-priced from $3.50 to $105. In the same price range is the kimono coat, or koto, that comes in hip- or knee-length. Before cutting up the fabric for your own creation, check the little hidden pocket in the front; old Japanese currency, tucked away and long forgotten, may still be there.
Even the ornate (and very heavy) wedding kimonos, which in Japan can rent for as much as $2,000, are included in the sale and are $275 to $475.
Comparison shopping here is all but impossible. There is no such thing as a suggested retail price. What may sell for $50 in one location could fetch $500 at another. Huge price discrepancies exist in vintage clothing, and a practiced eye is the best price-setter.
Not all kimonos are slinky florals. There are geometric and striped designs and crispy (not slinky) silk ones, too. Many of the kimonos are made of silk and are hand-woven. Some are painted and in the Japanese way, which is so precise and exact that it looks machine-printed.
There may never be another opportunity for the Los Angeles shopper to enjoy the rich and rare textures of these Japanese fabrics. Allow plenty of time when you visit this store, and wear old clothes so you can sit on the floor and spread the fabrics around. For a textile junkie, it’s sheer heaven.
Where and When What: Texuba. Location: 517 Boccaccio Ave., Venice. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, till 5 p.m. Saturdays. Cards: None. Cash, check only. Call: (310) 827-8535.
