#kyototocatwalk

[purplehazejxsworld]

I find peace in the rain ❤️

[han-made-bookbinding]

Wigs for “Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk”

Today (Thursday 27th August 2020) the current exhibition, “Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk”, reopens at the Victoria and Albert Museum after a period of closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

“This exhibition will present the kimono as a dynamic and constantly evolving icon of fashion, revealing the sartorial, aesthetic and social significance of the garment from the 1660s to the present day, both in Japan and the rest of the world.”

Earlier this year I completed a project for this exhibition, making eleven “wigs” for the fibreglass mannequin heads in hairstyles to represent different periods in Japanese history.

(Image credit: Rachael Lee, Textile Conservation Display Specialist in the Textile Conservation Department at the V&A)

The wigs for this exhibition were intended to be abstract and an impression of the silhouette, rather than incredibly detailed, so as not to distract too much from the costume displayed on the mannequins. When wigs are requested for mannequins, they are often made in house at the museum by the Textiles Conservation and Mounting Department, but due to restrictions on time they were outsourced on this occasion. I was involved in a similar project for another V&A exhibition back in 2018, “Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up”, which involved making three headdresses constructed from paper flowers. One of my previous blog posts details the making of these.

The wigs for the Kimonos exhibition were to be made from milliners crinoline, or “crin” for short, which in its nature is really springy and easy to make into voluminous shapes. Crin is an extremely versatile fabric that can be used for millinery, craft and haberdashery as well as fashion and dressmaking. The intention was to form shapes by manipulating it and stitching it together, then attaching these pieces to a Rigiline frame which would sit on the head of the mannequins. Rigilene is a type of boning made of woven nylon rods and can be stitched directly to fabric, without a casing.

The concept of these crin and rigilene wigs was not new, in 2011 an article was published in the V&A’s Conservation journal entitled, “Keep Your Hair On - The development of conservation friendly wigs”:

“One of the challenges we regularly encounter when displaying head wear is how to achieve a good fit with proper support when headdresses are designed to be worn upon elaborate hair styles. The solution to this quandary would appear easy enough; give heads hair. This seemingly straight forward answer was not as easy to apply as one might think largely due to exhibition designers and curators desire to display objects on non-realistic, abstract mannequin forms. This current trend is considered least distracting to the audience’s appreciation of the costume itself.”

My contact at the museum was Rachael Lee, a Textile Conservation Display Specialist in the Textile Conservation Department, who had been working for many months displaying numerous kimonos for the exhibition. She and some of her colleagues had already worked on a couple of protoypes of the wigs that were sent to me to get an idea of the forms they wanted. I was however told that I was to have creative control over the wigs and to have fun with them!

For the eleven wigs that they wanted I was supplied with reference images to work from.

The wigs were to be built on to Rigilene frames. I first measured the circumference of the fibreglass head at approximately the point where I wanted the hairline of the wigs to sit. I left a bit of slack knowing that the frame would get packed out a bit when the crinoline layers were attached. I cut a strip of Rigilene that was overlong so that it could be overlapped and joined together to form a circle, I drilled a series of small holes through the overlapped pieces and then stitched through them to hold the loop together. A second piece of Rigilene was then cut to span the top of the head, and it was joined to the first ring, slightly off centre, in same way using thread. Finally, a shorter piece was cut to tether the outer ring and the central bar together at the back.

As the Rigilene was quite springy, initially I temporarily joined the overlapped pieces using a dab of superglue and held them in place with a bulldog clip whilst it set. This then helped as the two pieces of Rigilene were set in place and held together for me to drill the holes using my Dremel. This process was reproduced a number of times to give me enough frames to experiment with and work from.

As I was working remotely from home, I sent many images of the wigs at various points in their construction to Rachael Lee, who in turn showed them to the curators who gave me feedback during the making process. I had never worked with either Rigilene or crin before so it was a learning curve, manipulating the crin into different shapes and forms to make the 2D images I had into three dimensional forms was a fun challenge! 

Further blog posts are to follow in the coming days about the steps I took to create these flamboyant wigs, from the subdued “Gibson Girl” through to the elaborate “Courtesan” with some more modern “Memoirs of a Geisha” characters thrown in I feel I have learnt a lot about Japanese hairstyles along the way!

[fuji-kimono]

☆ Floating World ☆ Men's vintage dark grey silk haori jacket comes with fantastic hand painted picture which is inspired by Ukiyoe 浮世絵 (Picture of the floating world) ‘ Oiran 花魁 (courtesan) by Utamaro 歌麿 ♡ Check it out at: https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/floating-world.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antique #clerkenwellvintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #interiordesign #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CFt7X_RAu6i/?igshid=ukfvlh11dmh4

[anji-salz]

Kyoto: Kimono to Catwalk 👘 ++NEW ON THE BLOG++ I went to London to view the new exciting kimono exhibition at the @vamuseum and had an in depth tour and interview with curator Josephine Rout! ☺️❤️👘 Read everything about the exhibition and the thoughts behind it - now on: 📡salz-tokyo.com (link in bio & story) 着物: 京都からキャットウォークまで❤️👘🇬🇧❤️ ++ブログ更新++ ロンドンのV&Aミュジアムの着物展示会のレポート、そしてキュレーターのJosephine Routさんに話を伺いました。 → www.salz-tokyo.com 📡💕 #kimono #kyototocatwalk (at Victoria and Albert Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/B91nRS7pyQQ/?igshid=tkcq872uihfn

[kyotokimono]

KYOTO TO CATWALK at the V&A Museum in London

17th-century Japanese garments sit side-by-side with haute couture and costumes from Star Wars ...

From the article by @sarah_j_young :  “The exhibition, which runs from Saturday 29 February until 21 June 2020... charts the evolution of the kimono from its origins in the 1660s to present day, both in Japan and the rest of the world. “

CLICK HERE to read the full article in The Independent.

If you’re in London during this time, don’t miss it. And please let me know what you thought about it!

[thekimonogallery]

From 27 August [2020], we’re reopening the 1st and 2nd floor galleries [of V&A Museum in London], including our Photography Centre, Theatre and Performance gallery and Jewellery gallery. Our critically acclaimed Kimono: #KyotoToCatwalk exhibition will also reopen.  

[marienela]

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Stunning 17th-century Japanese garments, international haute couture and costumes from Star Wars come together in the Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Opened from 29 February to 21 June 2020, this is Europe’s first major exhibition on kimono. The ultimate symbol of Japan, the kimono is often perceived as traditional, timeless and unchanging. Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk will counter this conception, presenting the garment as a dynamic and constantly evolving icon of fashion.

The exhibition will reveal the sartorial and social significance of the kimono from the 1660s to the present day, both in Japan and in the rest of the world.

Rare 17th and 18th century kimono will be displayed for the first time in the UK, together with fashions by major designers and iconic film and performance costumes. The kimono’s recent reinvention on the streets of Japan will also be explored through work by an exciting new wave of contemporary designers and stylists.

Highlights of the exhibition include a kimono created by Living National Treasure Kunihiko Moriguchi, the dress designed for Björk by Alexander McQueen and worn on the album cover Homogenic, and original Star Wars costumes modelled on kimono by John Mollo and Trisha Biggar.

Designs by Yves Saint Laurent, Rei Kawakubo and John Galliano will reveal the kimono’s role as a constant source of inspiration for fashion designers. Paintings, prints, film, dress accessories and other objects will feature throughout the exhibition, providing additional context to the fascinating story of the style, appeal and influence of the kimono.

Over 315 works will be featured, including kimono especially made for the show, half drawn from the V&A’s superlative collections and the rest generously lent by museums and private collections in Britain, Europe, America and Japan.

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk begins 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.

The first section of the exhibition will explore these designs and shine a light on a fashion-conscious society not dissimilar to today’s, in which desire for the latest look was fed by a cult of celebrity and encouraged by makers, sellers and publishers.

Kimono were first exported to Europe in the mid-17th century, where they had an immediate impact on clothing styles. Foreign fabrics were also brought to Japan and incorporated into kimono. Rare survivors from this early period of cultural exchange, including garments made in Japan for the Dutch and kimono tailored from French brocade and Indian chintz, will be displayed to reveal the fluid fashion relationship between East and West that resulted from the global trade network.

The late 19th century saw a world-wide craze for Japanese art and design. Kimono bought from department stores such as Liberty & Co. in London were worn by those wishing to express their artistic flair. Japan responded by making boldly embroidered ‘kimono for foreigners’, while the domestic market was transformed by the use of European textile technology and chemical dyes.

The kimono’s biggest impact on western fashion came in the early 20th century, when designers such as Paul Poiret, Mariano Fortuny and Madeleine Vionnet abandoned tightly corseted styles in favor of loose layers of fabric that draped the body.

The final section of the exhibition will show how the kimono has continued to inspire fashion designers around the world. The potential of the garment to be translated and transformed is seen in designs by Thom Browne, Duro Olowu and Yohji Yamamoto.

The kimono’s timeless, universal quality has also made it the ideal costume for film and performance. The display will include the outfit worn by Toshiro Mifune in Sanjuro, Oscar-winning costumes from Memoirs of a Geisha, and the Jean Paul Gautier ensemble worn by Madonna in her video Nothing Really Matters.

Japan itself is currently witnessing a resurgence of interest in kimono. Jotaro Saito designs kimono couture for the catwalk. Hiroko Takahashi seeks to bridge the gap between art and fashion while Yoshiki Hayashi, songwriter and bandleader of famed Japanese rock group X Japan traverses the divide between music and fashion with his Yoshikimono brand. More casual styles are created by small, independent studios such as Rumi Rock and Modern Antenna.

Anna Jackson, curator of Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk at the V&A, said: ‘From the sophisticated culture of 17th -century Kyoto to the creativity of the contemporary catwalk, the kimono is unique in its aesthetic importance and cultural impact giving it a fascinating place within the story of fashion.

Gallery 39 and North Court, V&A 29 February – 21 June 2020 vam.ac.uk/kimono | #KyotoToCatwalk

Photos by Kumi Saito

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk Exhibition Stuns at the Victoria & Albert Museum @V_and_A Stunning 17th-century Japanese garments, international haute couture and costumes from Star Wars come together in the…

[fuji-kimono]

Gorgeous red antique kimono with crane + plum blossom ♡ https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/womens-kimono/life-beyond.html #HappyKimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antiquekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #stylist #interiordesign #fashionsource #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/B96p92eAfyw/?igshid=gvhit00k3eyu

[fuji-kimono]

☆ ✨ Sweet Memories 👘 ☆ ☆🌸 Super Charming oriental orange red kimono with peony, chrysanthemum, plum & decorative fan pattern ♡ Check it out on:👇… or contact me by DM 😊 https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/sweet-memories.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antiquekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #stylist #interiordesign #fashionsource #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #instagood #kyototocatwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CGrv2lQAKyn/?igshid=147owqnijeshs

[fuji-kimono]

☆Vintage Indigo Fireman’s 🔥👩‍🚒Jacket with Graphic Logo ♡ Check it out on:👇… or contact me by DM 😊 https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/indigo-firemans-hanten-jacket-iwaoka.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antiquekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #sustainable #tabiboots #kyototocatwalk#FiremanJacket #hanten https://www.instagram.com/p/CGSEozrgK7m/?igshid=tszn5kmhy34s

[fuji-kimono]

☆ Ballroom Blits ☆ Pretty pink haori kimono jacket with happy vivid bold plum pink flower design ♡ Check it out at: https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/ballroom-blits.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antique #clerkenwellvintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #interiordesign #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk #ballroomblits https://www.instagram.com/p/CFjrlSfA_dr/?igshid=1fa0bxhks1daj

[fuji-kimono]

☆ Arctic Monkey ☆ Stylish + Mysterious Black Antique women’s silk blend kimono with purple and white fume like pattern. Really love the design! ♡ Check it out at: https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/arctic-monkey.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antique #clerkenwellvintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #interiordesign #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CE86H3eAozB/?igshid=1v85ewt4sksix

[fuji-kimono]

☆ ✨Sale £165 → £95 ☆ ☆👘 ’Enchanting Dream’ Super Charming baby pink silk kimono with chrysanthemum & decorative Temari ball & crane pattern ♡ Check it out on:👇… or contact me by DM 😊 https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/enchanting-dream.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antiquekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #stylist #interiordesign #fashionsource #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CGmkTFrAD-N/?igshid=11trmk27r4s72

[fuji-kimono]

☆ Sale £110 → £60 ☆ ☆ ’Hanabi’ Smart light grey fine crepe silk haori kimono jacket with red, white and black pine leaves motif pattern ♡ Check it out on: https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/special-offers/hanabi.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antiquekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #stylist #interiordesign #fashionsource #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CFy6VgFgAPM/?igshid=4w4q0934hsu0

[fuji-kimono]

☆ Stairway To Heaven ☆ Women’s black silk shibori (tie-dyed) haori kimono jacket with enchanting chrysanthemum and maple design ♡ Check it out at: https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/fabric-japanese/stairway-to-heaven.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #antiquekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #sustainable #tabiboots #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk #stairwaytoheaven https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhAYiKAEVq/?igshid=17l6jw0l8glq1

[fuji-kimono]

Super charming ♡ chrysanthemum floral pattern antique kimono ‘Viva La Vida’ c. 1910 - 1930s ♡ Check it out on: https://www.fujikimono.co.uk/womens-kimono/viva-la-vida.html #kimono #FujiKimono #kawaii #cosplay #vintagekimono #vintagefair #HYPERJAPAN #textile #indigo #boro #stylist #upcycle #sustainable #tabiboots #vamkimono #kyototocatwalk #vivalavida https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ULoI1A4TU/?igshid=c0wh0rgp29pk