We are all for beautiful books about Japanese clothes, so it’s no wonder that there is another title on this subject on our shelves. An exceptional title, because it is far from being a regular photo collection; it is primarily a huge amount of knowledge about the construction of clothes, their tradition, design or materials from which they are made. The curator of the Asian section at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is responsible for the selection and descriptions, so it’s also the perfect way to taste the museum’s collection from a distance.
The book is divided into chapters according to specific kimono fragments: collars, waist, sleeves. You can also read here about headgear (especially about wonderful combs), shoes (in the main role various geta shoes), seams and endings of fabrics or linings. You can find pictures of bingata kimono from Okinawa, obi belts with propaganda patterns from World War II, wedding kimono shiromuku or robes for actors of the nō theatre.
A beautiful book with an equally fascinating introduction to the history of kimono and its role in modernizing and later modern Japan.
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