Bringing the best Japanese design to Europe: Mazda x Suzusan

Suzusan is the name of Hiroyuki (Hiro) Murase’s label. He has successfully reinvented the ancient Japanese textile finishing craft of Shibori, literally meaning ‘wring’ or ‘twist’. Indeed, his Düsseldorf-based company has achieved acclaim far beyond the city, with pieces gracing Dior’s catwalk and attracting A-list fans like Natalie Portman.

Connected by our roots

Bringing the best Japanese design to Europe and the world is something that resonates with Mazda. While Mazda’s roots lie in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, those of Suzusan lie around 500 kilometres to the east, closer to Tokyo, in the village of Arimatsu, Aichi Prefecture. This, the hometown of Suzusan’s founder, is where the intangible heritage embodied in this artisan’s handicrafts has been passed down through the generations for over 400 years. Today, young people once again work traditionally in the artisanal studios of Arimatsu. They enrich exclusive clothing made of fine yarns with individual, modern designs. In a somewhat Mazda-esque style, Suzusan employs and boldly reinterprets traditional techniques on selected materials, like hand-woven cashmere, alpaca or transparent silk from Japan and worldwide.

It was clear from the very beginning that Mazda and Suzusan shared many similarities. In both brands, traditional craftsmanship principles are combined with modern design elements. Taking ordinary objects and putting them in a new context – using old techniques and finding something new and inspiring. Valuing the empty space between design objects and patterns, seeking inspiration from the world around them and nature is what connects Suzusan and Mazda.

Where Suzusan crafts every single piece by hand, Mazda craftsmen must reproduce perfection over and over again for every single car. With legendary devotion to every detail, car making has become an art form for artisans.

Suzusan and Mazda craft in Japan

For over a century now, Mazda cars have been Crafted in Japan. This is best shown in the all-new Mazda CX-60 PHEV, Mazda’s new flagship model. It is the car that introduces  “Crafted in Japan”— celebrating a design philosophy that, like Japanese culture, strives for premium quality with a handcrafted touch. A work of art that goes beyond the canvas. A celebration of less is more. 

The new Mazda CX-60 SUV Plug-in Hybrid showcases the masterful artistry of its Takumi production engineers and designers. As well as aesthetic appeal, it embodies Mazda’s commitment to offering sustainable mobility and the right solution at the right time with society and the planet in mind.

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