Telling a story about growth or a generational conflict has been done many times. At the same time, considering many storytellers seem to stress the same subjects and conflicts, there is a distinct tendency for repetition within these tales without them actually making a new point, and quite a few of them feeling somewhat redundant in the first place. In the case of Yukiko Mishima's 2015 feature “a stitch of life”, the focus shifts as the story is firmly placed within the world of fashion, or more precisely, the fascination for fabrics and the joy of making dresses and suits for people. Similar to more recent efforts from the director, such as “Shape of Red”, it is also the story of a contrast of one's passion and what is expected of you.
a stitch of life is screening at Japan Society
For many years, Ichie Minami (Miki Nakatani) has tailored clothes, after taking over the business from the grandmother. Her small shop has a great tradition deeply embedded in the biographies of the families that are Ichie's costumers. However, she has not yet expanded, selling her grandmother's design only to a local store, which is where Fuji (Takahiro Miura) finds and falls in love with them. Determined to help the designer expand and create a brand, he makes plans with big department stores and his superiors to establish Ichie's clothes throughout Japan.
But when Fuji introduces his plans to Ichie, the designer refuses to even listen to him fully explain his strategy, insisting she will stick to what her grandmother has done before her, which is to stay local. Even though he is frustrated by her answer, the young man does not give up and decides to come to designer's business every day, in an attempt to eventually perhaps wear her down. However, as he becomes a regular guest at her home, he also gets to know Ichie more intimately and why she is stuck with the designs of her grandmother and not started making her own.
While the story itself revolves around pretty conventional patterns, the screenplay written by Tamio Hayashi cleverly highlights the idea of passion, or rather fascination for fabrics and textures. Considering the background of the fashion world and the character of Ichie, there are many scenes, for example, when she changes a dress for a young costumer or as she is enjoying her favorite cheesecake at a local café, that emphasize the idea of entering a world of sensual fascinations. Indeed, these also define the core of the two main characters, as both are driven by their lust for these pleasures, finding satisfaction in them and often displaying frustration for those unwilling or unable to understand them.
It is also said pleasure which becomes the driving force of the story, and the motor of change, so to speak, for the characters themselves. Especially Miki Nakatani gives a convincing, and often understated performance as a woman who is in conflict with the tradition she has sworn to follow and her own passions in life, most specifically, in fashion. As mentioned before, these ideas and notions are what keep “a stitch of life” interesting, as some of the characters' development or turns within the story appear rather predictable and conventional.
In the end, “a stitch of life” is a drama about change and tradition as well as growth. Yukiko Mishima cleverly highlights the sensual pleasure of the movie's heroes, transcending an otherwise conventional story into something that often feels rather special.
