Nissan Formula E Team Celebrates Tokyo Debut With Unique Kimono Tribute To Rivals

The Nissan Formula E Team has gifted its rivals kimonos to celebrate its Tokyo debut.

Author:
Lydia Mee
Mar 28, 2024

The Nissan Formula E Team marked its first home race in Tokyo by unveiling a distinctive kimono collection, designed in honour of their Formula E competitors. The collaboration with renowned fashion designer Jun Nakamura led to the creation of kimonos that symbolise a fusion of motorsport rivalry and traditional Japanese craftsmanship.

Key Takeaways:

The Nissan Formula E Team, in collaboration with Jun Nakamura, crafted bespoke kimonos for each Formula E team to celebrate their Tokyo E-Prix debut.
The initiative reflects the Japanese concept of omotenashi, offering a warm yet competitive welcome to the teams, embodied through kimonos that mirror the teams' colours and spirit.
Emphasizing sustainability, the kimonos were designed as "zero-waste" products, aligning with Formula E's environmental ethos and commitment to a zero carbon footprint.

Nissan creates custom kimonos for Formula E rivals ahead of its home E-Prix in Tokyo

Nissan Formula E Press Image

The Nissan Formula E Team, as the only Japanese squad in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, chose to commemorate its home race in Tokyo in a distinctive manner. Partnering with Jun Nakamura, a Japanese fashion designer renowned for his modern twist on traditional techniques, the team created a series of bespoke kimonos, each reflecting the colours and essence of the 11 competing teams.

"The kimono is very important to Japanese culture, so to be asked to design kimonos for such an iconic Japanese brand like Nissan is very exciting. My connection with kimonos started from a young age, my family owned a kimono company and my father would wear one to work. With this special collection we aim to show the hospitality of Japan, so I have designed kimonos inspired by the team colours and cars," said Jun Nakamura, the brain behind the designs and founder of JU-NNA.

This initiative was deeply rooted in the principle of omotenashi, the Japanese tradition of wholeheartedly welcoming guests. It was a symbolic gesture from Nissan, inviting their competitors to enjoy the hospitality but also reminding them of the competitive fervour that the championship embodies. The display of kimonos at the Tokyo E-Prix served not only as a testament to Nakamura's craftsmanship but also as a representation of the team's ethos.

Sustainability played a crucial role in the creation of these garments. In keeping with the environmentally conscious nature of the Formula E series, each kimono was crafted to be a "zero-waste" product, using a whole bolt of fabric without cutting, mirroring the series' commitment to sustainability.

"We're proud to partner with such an exciting fashion designer like Jun to welcome our fellow teams in a truly authentic way. With our heart and soul hailing from Japan, the first race in Tokyo is a hugely important moment for the team. After two consecutive podiums our confidence is high, so that's why we're inviting our competitors to get comfortable, but not too comfortable, at our home E-Prix," expressed Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal of Nissan Formula E Team.