Kitsune & Coal

17/04/2026

Some of my lovely fellow traders need our help, after being stolen from earlier in the week. Nobody likes that we have to make these posts but as small independent businesses every stolen item amounts to food not on our tables, a little less money towards bills, etc. We all know money is tight, we really do, but stealing from hard working people who are also just trying to make a living is not the way.

If you think you know these people, please message Red Brick Market as this just isn't on and the vendors deserve to be paid for the stolen goods. Nobody wants this to go any further than it has to.

CCTV footage shows a man and a woman taking items from independent traders and leaving without payment

16/04/2026

Hello all! We are aware that we haven't posted for a while, this has been a combination of Ron's scheduled posts not posting as scheduled (doh!), and also a bout of illness at Kitsune & Coal HQ, but we are back, and are looking to make a few changes.

We received some feedback that the middle rail in our shop was making access more difficult for our lovely customers who may use a wheelchair or other mobility aid, or were visiting with a pram. We have now removed this to improve access to our unit. 🥰

Kitsune & Coal is a proudly Disabled Owned Business and Ron is passionate about access to wonderful things for EVERYONE!

11/01/2026

We are fully aware that it has been a while since we have restocked our Red Brick Market unit, but that does not mean we have not been busy, or that we are not always on the lookout for new goods for you! We will be back in February, hopefully with lots of fantastic new items for your perusal and hopefully enjoyment!

13/12/2025

Today we are presenting this beautiful front-tie wool jacket. This is a style that has been popular for work-wear and house coats alike for generations, blending comfort and style. It features a pocket, and distinctive rounded genroku sleeves rather than the trailing sleeves of a kimono, as well as a vibrant pattern of flowers. It calls to mind not only traditional Japanese patterns, but also the designs of the likes of William Morris.

The lady I sourced this from informed me that this was worn by a family member while travelling during the Taishō (1912-1926) and early Shōwa eras (1926-1989 so this is a pre-war piece in absolutely stunning condition, and still very versatile and wearable.

06/12/2025

We have a treasure for you today, as the embroidery on this vest is not only sure to get everyone talking, but comes with a story you can tell to make sure your outfit is genuinely unforgettable.

As you can see, the embroidery features a monkey riding a fish. While this fish appears to be a koi, the image still calls to mind the tale of Kadori Myojin, a Shinto deity often depicted as a monkey, who was tasked with controlling Namazu the 'earthquake fish', an enormous fish (usually a catfish, admittedly) that lived beneath Japan and caused tremors and disaster.

This is a popular subject in Japanese art, particularly common in Netsuke carvings, and this seems to be a particularly playful take on it.

We hope it finds a home with someone who finds it as charming and fun as we do.

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29/11/2025

We're kind of obsessed with this embroidered dragon jacket, currently in our unit at Red Brick Market, so we're putting a spotlight on it. We love the bright colours and the swirling clouds and the fact that it is nice and warm helps too...and, of course, we already mentioned the dragon, but it is worth mentioning again. This is such a fun piece, we can see this being worn with pretty much anything.

02/08/2025

A burger that bites back? At Kitsune & Coal? It's more likely than you think.

Did you know that we don't only stock traditional style garments and bomber jackets? We also, when we can source them, stock authentic pre-loved and vintage Japanese alternative fashion items.

Ron first became interested in Japanese street fashion through the famous Harajuku street snaps way back in the early 2000s, and that love has never truly gone away, even if many of the brands and fashion icons of that time have disappeared.

What has stayed the same (and keeps Ron coming back and her bank balance suffering) is the production of fun and unique items such as this fantastic dungaree style dress from HellCatPunks, which features a hilarious spooky fast food print, not a sentence we ever really expected to type, and a pointed witchy hemline.

It's August, which by our count means it may as well be Halloween, so perhaps this could be your perfect Red Brick Market find. After all, it is suitable for many occassions, ranging from grabbing a burger, to watching a horror film. It has it all! Who else is going to have a dress featuring haunted fast food?

20/07/2025

It's been a bit quiet here at Kitsune & Coal lately, but we promise there's been a lot going on behind the scenes that we're hoping to bring to you soon, and also Ron started a new role at work, so has been very busy.

We're working hard on some original stock recycling kimono and other japanese vintage items - did you know that thousands of kimono go to landfill every year when much of the beautiful textile could have been saved and reused?

We're also working on a website, as we are aware that some our followers are not Liverpool based and may find it tricky to visit us. So watch this space!

For the curious, the image shows Ron in the temple grounds of Sensoji in Asakusa, wearing a beautiful camellia print kimono (technically a hakamash*ta, we believe) with a hakama.

For women, hakama are predominantly associated with graduation ceremonies, sports and shrine attendants, but are also associated with dress reform during the Meiji (1868 - 1912) and Taishō (1912 - 1926) periods.

21/06/2025

What an absolute scorcher! Stay hydrated and make sure to top up on the suncream to avoid those burns.

If you're heading off to any festivals or just want a nice cover-up to keep the sun off of your skin while remaining stylish, why not come down and look at some of our stylish and colourful haori (kimono jackets) or yukata (lighter weight summer alternative to kimono)?

If you have a little look at the yukata with tulips, you can see that it has been folded at the waist and then sewn to make it shorter - this was a clever time saving technique by the previous owner as kimono and yukata are usually folded in this way to adjust the length and to make them sit properly.

Usually this involves a few belts that need to be tied in place and is fiddly to do alone, but the previous owner found a way to make it quicker, and now you can enjoy it hassle free too. (If you wish to purchase and undo this alteration, it is an easily removed row of tacks, Ron chose to keep it intact because she thought it was interesting to talk about).

01/05/2025

Aren't they all stunning?