Maia Maniglier fell in love with kimono in 2001, when she was convinced to let a Tokyo kimono stylist dress her for a reception at the French Embassy. Kanji Nakashima impressed the skeptical French woman, who had lived in Japan since 1989, by dressing her both stylishly and comfortably.

"As a foreigner living here, there is always someone who wants to put a kimono on you, take pictures, etc., and I had never either felt nice or comfortable in it."

But everything changed when she put on Nakashima's kimono.