Europe’s first major exhibition on kimono is to open to the public at V&A Dundee this weekend.
Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk presents the kimono as an iconic garment and a dynamic, ever-evolving icon of fashion, tracing the influence of the kimono from 17th century Japan to present-day cutting-edge couture and street fashion across the world.
In the exhibition, rare 17th and 18th century kimono are displayed alongside modern designs from Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Alexander McQueen.
The kimono’s recent reinvention on the streets of Japan is also explored through work by a new wave of contemporary designers and stylists.
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Arguably the ultimate symbol of Japan, the kimono is revered within the country as the embodiment of national culture and internationally regarded with fascination. This symbolic status, and the fact that its basic form has remained consistent over the centuries, means that that the kimono is often viewed as a simple, timeless garment. Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk counters that conception, revealing how the kimono has always been a dynamic item of fashionable dress that has been restyled consistently throughout its history, influencing modern fashion and popular culture, from evening wear and festival fashion, to rock stars and Star Wars.
Highlights of the exhibition include a kimono created by Living National Treasure Kunihiko Moriguchi, contemporary designs from L’Wren Scott’s 2014 collection, and a kimono owned by Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury worn whilst at home.
Designs by Yves Saint Laurent, Rei Kawakubo and John Galliano reveal the kimono’s role as a constant source of inspiration for fashion designers. Paintings, prints, film, dress accessories and other objects feature throughout the exhibition, providing additional context to the fascinating story of the style, appeal and influence of the kimono.
Overall, almost 300 works are featured, including kimono especially made for the show, with three-quarters drawn from the V&A’s collections and the rest generously lent by museums and private collections in Britain, Europe, America and Japan.
This is the final opportunity to see these rare works together on the last stop of the Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk international tour running at V&A Dundee from May 4 until January 5, 2025.
The exhibition is split into three parts, beginning in the mid-17th century when a vibrant fashion culture emerged in Japan. The increasingly wealthy merchant classes demanded the latest styles to express their affluence, confidence and taste, while leading actors and famous courtesans were the trend-setters of the day. The simple structure of the kimono focused attention on the surface, allowing for the creation of sumptuous patterns using sophisticated techniques.
Anna Jackson, curator of Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, said, “Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk explores the aesthetic, social and sartorial importance of the kimono. This iconic garment is generally viewed as a timeless and traditional costume.
"We counter that conception by showing that kimono have always been highly dynamic garments, at the heart of a fashion culture that has thrived in Japan since the 1660s. The exhibition reveals how kimono fashion has been translated across cultural and geographic boundaries and has had a major impact on global dress styles for nearly 400 years.”
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Kirsty Hassard, V&A Dundee curator, said: “A lot of the clothes we wear today are indirectly inspired by kimono in the way that it changed the silhouettes designers were crafting, particularly in the 20th century.
"We hope visitors will enjoy gaining insight into the importance the kimono has had on global fashion, and the unique experience of seeing the Kimono exhibition within the Japanese-Scottish inspired architecture of V&A Dundee on the final stop of its international tour.”
Leonie Bell, Director of V&A Dundee, said: “V&A Dundee by the banks of the Tay is a Scottish-Japanese building and it sets the stage perfectly for Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk. Architect Kengo Kuma took inspiration for the V&A Dundee building from the rocky cliffs of eastern Scotland’s coastline, the maritime heritage of Dundee, and places of worship in ancient Japan.
“Opening Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk at V&A Dundee celebrates kimono’s enduring place in fashion design history and contemporary culture, whilst also offering us an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate Scottish-Japanese cultural bonds, spanning hundreds of years and influencing art, design, fashion and architecture to engineering, food, gardens, film, animation, music and more.”
Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk open from Saturday 4 May 2024 until 5 January 2025 at V&A Dundee.
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