Balloon dresses by rubber balloon brand Sempertex and Japanese artist Emi Jingu debut at New York Fashion Week
Kissies Co., Ltd. Press Release: August 28, 2025 Rubber balloon brand “Sempertex” heads to New York Fashion Week with balloon dresses created by Japanese artist Emi Jingu Kissies Inc., which depicts the diversity of balloons, is promoting the fusion of art and fashion.
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representation of the intricately intertwined structure of the brain’s blood vessels. Furthermore, she presented “Life,” a piece modeled on her own body, inspired by the new life she was blessed with while living with her illness. The balloons, gently enveloping her body as it bore life, symbolized the strength and transience of life. Her current collection, “DIVERSITY,” is an extension of these experiences. By having models with disabilities and illnesses wear ephemeral balloons, she visualized “shining lives despite their challenges” on the runway. While balloons are a material that doesn’t last forever, their fleeting glow symbolizes “the transience of life and the powerful beauty that emerges from it.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-8241ea93df2f074c166aed879eb2204f-1800×2700.jpg Theme: Moyamoya disease
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-b34468379128d351bc3b92ddd9870043-1800×2700.jpg Work theme: Life About Emi Jingu
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-b55804647f7ceade285170bd5d885f62-1800×2700.jpg Ms. Emi Jingu
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-720c33a9fc2e5cbfe0744d2565d29ac7-2311×1147.jpg ・Activity overview Using the ephemeral material of balloons, he creates wearable art that embodies strength by combining the transience and beauty of life. Going beyond the boundaries of traditional balloon decoration, he creates unique collections that combine balloons, fashion, and social messages, and distributes them both domestically and internationally. ・Major achievements and media coverage Twist & Shout US Championship Winner (2018, USA) Exhibited at Vancouver Fashion Week (2019) Solo exhibition in New York (2017) In addition, he has collaborated with companies and been featured on various TV and radio programs, as well as in numerous fashion magazines and art media both in Japan and abroad. ・Social Contribution Activities Inspired by her own experience with a serious illness, she launched the “Lucaemma Pediatric Ward Support Project.” To date, they have donated balloons to over 200 hospitals across the country, bringing the brilliance of life and hope to children. For more information, visit the official website here.
https://www.emijingu-balloonlabo.com About Sempertex Rubber Balloons
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-4943b8bee0ae286dde06765134c0bc40-772×918.jpg Decorations using high-quality balloons from Sempertex ・Sempertex Sempertex has been dedicated to manufacturing high-quality latex balloons since 1938. Specializing in 100% latex balloons, the company is headquartered in Barranquilla, a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, and provides professional-grade rubber balloons worldwide. ・Quality and Features Sempertex’s rubber balloons are made using world-class, high-quality raw rubber concentrate, a unique blend, and state-of-the-art facilities, resulting in unparalleled manufacturing excellence and quality. When you inflate these balloons, you can feel their beautiful appearance and solid texture. Always aware of global trends, especially fashion, Sempertex rubber balloons come in a wide variety of trendy colors. Their high quality and affordable price make them popular not only in Japan but all over the world, with
professional performers and decorators, corporate sales promotions, and individual hobbyists alike, whether professional or amateur. ・Rubber balloons for balloon art Sempertex’s twist balloons for balloon art are commonly available in a size called 260S. This means the following: (1) 2 = Thickness 2 inches (approximately 5 cm) (2) 60 = Length 60 inches (approximately 150 cm) (3) S = Sempertex In other words, this refers to a long, thin balloon made by Sempertex for balloon art, measuring 5cm in diameter and 150cm in length. Among balloon art professionals, this type of long, thin balloon is commonly referred to as “260 (two-six-round).” The sizes used by Emi Jingu this time are primarily 160S, which is slightly thinner than the above, making them excellent for creating a more detailed and delicate balloon dress. Sempertex Official Website (Colombia)
https://sempertex.com Comments from each person involved in the project
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-537cc2b86354aadb82fe956515130316-3900×2600.jpg ・Comment from Emi Jingu Balloons may not be a permanent material, but I believe they have the power to make everything shine. In this collection, I expressed that brilliance as a symbol of diversity, carefully considering the background and individuality of each model. I believe that the costumes, with their delicate and unique colors and textures, were born thanks to Sempertex’s colorful, high-quality balloons. How will balloon art be received as a new form of fashion with a social message on the global stage of New York? I approach the show with both a sense of challenge and hope.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-1ccfe2fa3ebef6090ee34ab3bc0649c2-230×354.jpg – Comment from Federico Pérez, Business Manager, Sempertex Sempertex is proud to support Emi Jingu’s artwork during New York Fashion Week. Her collection, “DIVERSITY – The Unique Color and Radiance Within Each of Us,” embodies the limitless creative power of balloons. The exceptional quality and rich, vibrant color palette of Sempertex latex balloons used in this project helped bring the artist’s vision to life and create a one-of-a-kind piece. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Kissy’s, our Japanese distributor, for their tireless efforts in making Jingu’s participation a success. We believe this collaboration demonstrates that balloons can go beyond being just a way to decorate celebratory occasions and establish themselves as true art in the fashion world.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/80338/27/80338-27-d61124ea9f46fc80a28cf6773bfbd98d-677×705.jpg ・Comment from Mr. Hosoe, Planning and Sales Manager at Kissies As the official distributor of Sempertex Balloons in Japan, we are honored to support Emi Jingu’s participation in New York Fashion Week. Sempertex rubber balloons, recognized worldwide for their high quality, are transformed into new works of art that transcend the realm of mere material through Ms. Jingu’s exceptional knitting skills and creative ideas. We look forward to seeing their potential fully realized through this collection. Furthermore, we hope that this project will allow us to convey to people not only in Japan but around the world that balloons go beyond the boundaries of “decorative” or “celebratory items” and have infinite possibilities as a medium of expression. We are extremely proud that Sempertex balloons will play an important role in bringing Mr. Jingu’s vision to life and that we will be able to create new value through this initiative. About Kissies Co., Ltd. Since our founding in 1946, we have been importing and wholesaling festival toys, rubber balloons, film balloons, party goods, and miscellaneous goods. In the balloon field, we have primary agency agreements with famous rubber balloon and film balloon brands around the world. We not only handle B2B wholesale for professional decorators and performers, but also actively develop our own trend-setting products. Our corporate philosophy is “Making people happy—that’s our job.” We are committed to expanding our market and solving our customers’ problems, constantly striving for new challenges. Kissies Co., Ltd. 2-7-17 Nagono, Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture TEL: 052-563-4681 Corporate site https://www.kishis.co.jp Business wholesale site
https://www.kishi-gum.jp/e-commkg/cgi-bin/ex_index.cgi Direct shopping site https://kishis.net Sempertex Brand Site (Japanese)
https://www.kishis.co.jp/sempertex Official X
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