Restoring a vintage garment or leaving it as is? This is the eternal debate among collectors and dealers. Sometimes, repairing gives a new lease of life to a garment whose natural deterioration was unavoidable. But the repair must be perfect. Fortunately, perfection in this field does exist. And her name is Kane Kato (@bluechampion_kato). The Japanese seamstress just opened her own store: Blue Champion.

There's no arrogance in calling yourself a "champion" when you really are. In fact, when it comes to vintage garment repair, Kanae Kato is the champion in every category. She's even an Olympic champion. For years, Kanae Kato has worked with Mushroom Vintage, and made a name for herself on social networks under the name restore_kato.

She actually became the elite expert of restoration, a specialist in the repair of antique denim pieces. And yet, she was never destined for this. “I never studied in a sewing school, and I didn’t even know how to sew in the beginning of my career,” she explains. “However, both my grandmother and my mother were very skilled with sewing. I used to help them with it, and I grew up in an environment where sewing machines were always there.”

At some point, she decided to specialize in vintage clothing repair. “I love vintage clothing, and that’s why I decided to start repairing them. I learned about intricate details and the construction of old garments while fixing them. Being able to undo stitches and see the hidden parts that no one else can see is an extraordinary feeling that attracts me very much!”

Thanks mainly to Instagram, Kanae Kato has become a worldwide reference. And now it's time for her to stand on her own two feet.

Indeed, Kanae Kato is about to open her own boutique in Niigata, with her own workshop. She has named it Blue Champion. A perfect name, inspired by an old Singer sewing machine. It will officially open its doors on August 8th.

 “I will work on a sewing machine that is more specialized for repairs. Actually, I found the perfect sewing machine for repairing denim,” she explained to us a few days ago.

The waiting list is likely to grow quickly, so don't delay !

Blue Champion

Epuraza Bld. 2F, 2-2066-8, Oroshishimmachi
Niigata Shi Higashi Ku, Niigata Ken
950-0863, JAPAN
+8150-8883-3003
@bluechampion_kato

You'll find more pictures about Kanae Kato’s incredible work in the book Stifel, The American Blue Dream, available here: