Hi there and welcome! I am Soumya James, the owner, designer, and artist at Kokuin. I am an independent art historian who works on premodern Southeast Asian art.

As a single-owner of this small business, I am involved in every aspect of the design and manufacture of the products that you see on the website, including sewing, printing, and dyeing. I make small batches of home linen, putting together patterns and colors that I personally would like to see in my own home. I hope you enjoy the products that you see here and will visit again.

Woodblock printing is an ancient tradition of using carved blocks of wood that are dipped in paint or dye and then printed on fabric. I bring to you a contemporary interpretation of this traditional craft using both contemporary and vintage woodblocks.

Thank you for your patronage of this small business venture during challenging times. Stay safe, stay well!

What does Kokuin mean?