Life is full of divine coincidences or better said, synchrodestiny. Synchodestiny is a part of my life which I am very grateful to experience and enjoy. A couple of years ago while I was still living in Mexico, I discovered the wonderful world of washitapes. It was love at first sight. The idea of being able to fill notebooks, walls, and spaces with colours that easy just mesmerised me. I started doing publications on my Instagram using my washitapes and it was there that I started to meet people with the same interest in them. One of the people I met was @mrspepita with whom the idea to create #washistreet was first created. I will tell you more about #washistreet in other posts but you can look up the hashtag on Instagram to get a preview of what I am talking about. And as is destiny, thanks to her I e-met Anabella. Anabella’s (or Ana’s) account was so beautiful, each post reflected her love for washitapes.
Some years later and now while in London, I got to attend an Anthropologie event promoting their launch book from Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring. That day was my birthday and I decided to go to the event to surround myself with creative and inspiring people. And it just tells you how life conspires when you do the things that you truly love within your heart. That day I had the fortune to finally meet Anabella in person. We introduced ourselves and while getting to talk for a while, we agreed to meet again whenever she came back to London.
Months later while I was visiting Mexico I received a call from Anabella to tell me that we had been invited to the MT Factory Tour Vol.6. I was shocked! I did not know how to react because it was one of my dreams to attend this tour. I saw this as something impossible because you can only attend if you have an invite. The trip consisted of spending a few days in Tokyo visiting crafts shops and then making the trip to Kurashiki where the MT factory is located.
The first day we woke up with a very kawaii breakfast. Pink-sakura pancakes, green tea and a few Japanese pastries. We later left Tokyo and rode for 5 hours on a train to get to Kurashiki. We arrived at the hotel and the hospitality was proper Japanese. We felt very welcomed by them. We then decided to sleep-in early to wake up the next morning ready to see the MT Factory.
Then at last, the day came! Ana and I were ready to enjoy the tour to the fullest and of course ready to buy washitapes. At the meeting point there was a big bus waiting for us and as it was raining, they lent us some beautiful coloured-umbrellas. When we got into the bus that was taking us to the factory, we were surprised that the bus was all covered in washitape and had some pretty pink curtains. This was unimaginable and just kickoff a great experience that was about to follow at the factory. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a nice tote bag, some exclusive washitapes edition Tour Factory Vol.6 and an origami paper.
The tour was wonderful but unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take photos from the inside. When we left the factory there was a small museum where they had a Mini Cooper that every year gets decorated with different washi designs. They also had an exhibit with all the washitapes ever created and another one with all the posters that have ever been made for the different fairs and events in which MT has participated.
A workshop was organized in which we could make different creations using washitapes of all colours. At the end of the tour there was a pop-up store where they sold all washitape designs, from the exclusive Japanese ones to most of the MT Casa line. And at the end of this, there was a section where they sold washitapes per kilo. You read right, Per Kilo! The trick here was to know which washitapes to choose and make the most beautiful combinations. I went for pastel and neon colours. And since these washitapes were cheaper than what you find outside the factory, these are the ones I will use for my future #Washistreet.
We left very happy and a bit spoiled, it was a beautiful experience and I felt very privileged to share it with someone so special who has the same love for colours, joy and of course MT. In the second part I will tell you about the collaborations made by MT Tape outside the factory, the Japanese castle they decorated and the #washistreet we created in Tokyo.
Read Part 2.
