What is the kimono? Everyday garment? Art object? Symbol of Japan? As this book shows, the kimono has served all of these roles, its meaning changing across time and with the perspective of the wearer or viewer.            Kimono: A Modern History begins by exposing the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century foundations of the modern kimono fashion industry. It explores the crossover between ‘art’ and ‘fashion’ in this period at the hands of famous Japanese painters who worked with clothing pattern books and painted directly onto garments. With Japan’s exposure to Western fashion in the nineteenth century, and Westerners’ exposure to Japanese modes of dress and design, the kimono took on new associations and came to symbolize an exotic culture and an alluring female form. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the kimono industry was sustained through government support. The line between fashion and art became blurred as kimonos produced by famous designers were collected for their beauty and displayed in museums, rather than being worn as clothing. Today, the kimono has once again taken on new dimensions, as the Internet and social media proliferate images ... [Read More]

Kimono Design: An Introduction to Textiles and Patterns uses hundreds of photographs and a wealth of information on colors, fabrics and embellishments to paint a portrait of Japanese culture, art and thought. Lavish classical patterns, sweeping scenes, and the many motifs that have been woven, dyed, painted or embroidered into these textiles reveal a reflectiveness, a sense of humor, and an appreciation of exquisite beauty that is uniquely Japanese. Organized according to motifs traditionally associated with each season of the year, Kimono Design interprets the kimono's special language as expressed in depictions of: Flowers and grasses Birds and other animals Symbols of power, luck and prestige Land-and-seascapes scenes from literature, history and daily life scenes of travel and the Japanese concept of other lands and many others…Extensive notes on all the motifs demonstrate how the kimono reflects changing times and a sense of the timeless. Information on jewelry, hairpins and other accessories is scattered throughout to give a fuller sense of the Japanese art of dress. This is a volume that Japanophiles, historians, artists and designers will all cherish.

Recently, young women in Japan have taken to the idea of wearing kimono as everyday fashion, delighting in scouring secondhand kimono stores and their mothers’ closets for vintage pieces to bring their own wardrobes up to date. A testament to this trend is the success of Nanao, a quarterly magazine aimed at this younger market, and filled with stylish spreads and tips on dressing, finding great but inexpensive pieces, and customizing, accessorizing, and caring for these traditional garments.The New Kimono presents, in book form, a selection of the best articles from Nanao, providing a wealth of information to Western readers with an interest in kimono. Articles include interviews with young Japanese women who consider kimono their day-to-day garb, advice on how to coordinate fabrics and designs, how to choose an obi, how to choose footwear, how to choose underwear, how to customize vintage kimono, and fabulous vintage kimono fashion spreads. An appendix provides clear, step-by-step guidelines on putting on kimono, kimono underwear, yukata, and obi. A glossary of kimono terms and a shop guide is also included. Beautiful photographs combine with practical hints, making this book in... [Read More]

Enjoy coloring kimono patterns, botanical accents and inspired costumes worn by fairy tale women and fox spirits.This coloring book features 25 detailed designs of Japanese fox spirits, fairies and Chinese zodiac characters by fantasy artist Meredith Dillman.The paper is standard white 60# bond paper, suitable for colored pencils (markers or gel pens should be used with protective paper placed behind the page). Pages are printed on side only. Each image has a white border so none of the drawing is lost in the binding. Page size is 8.5x11 inches with 8x10 inch artwork.

-Notice: Color of items will closely match the picture, but may vary due to differences in monitor settings and environment.

From rugged Japanese firemen's ceremonial robes and austere rural work-wear to colorful, delicately-patterned cotton kimonos, this lavishly illustrated volume explores Japan's rich tradition of textiles.Textiles are an eloquent form of cultural expression and of great importance in the daily life of a people, as well as in their rituals and ceremonies. The traditional clothing and fabrics featured in this book were made and used in the islands of the Japanese archipelago between the late 18th and the mid 20th century. The Thomas Murray collection featured in this book includes daily dress, work-wear, and festival garb and follows the Arts and Crafts philosophy of the Mingei Movement, which saw that modernization would leave behind traditional art forms such as the hand-made textiles used by country people, farmers, and fisherman. It presents subtly patterned cotton fabrics, often indigo dyed from the main islands of Honshu and Kyushu, along with garments of the more remote islands: the graphic bark cloth, nettle fiber, and fish skin robes of the aboriginal Ainu in Hokkaido and Sakhalin to the north, and the brilliantly colored cotton kimonos of Okinawa to the far south. Numerous ex... [Read More]

Crafted from ancient decorative techniques, the Japanese kimono forms a dramatic statement of beauty as well as an example of wearable art. More than 30 illustrations to color depict women in traditional garb enhanced by intricate prints of cherry blossoms, bamboo, birds, and other figures. Perforated pages are printed on one side only. Pages are perforated and printed on one side only for easy removal and display. Specially designed for experienced colorists, Japanese Kimono Designs and other Creative Haven® adult coloring books offer an escape to a world of inspiration and artistic fulfillment. Each title is also an effective and fun-filled way to relax and reduce stress. Previously published as Japanese Kimono Designs Coloring Book.

Spanning East to West, kimonos and kimono-influenced designs are everywhere, from high-end couturiers such as Yohji Yamamoto and Gucci to Main Street fashion chains such as Uniqlo and H&M. In Kimono Refashioned, contributors explore the impact of the kimono on the fashion world, charting how these striking and elegant unisex garments came to transcend their traditional Japanese design origins. Featuring highlights from the renowned Kyoto Costume Institute, this lavish volume documents Japanese and Western designs, men's and women's apparel, and both exacting and impressionistic references to the kimono. Contributors from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Newark Museum, and the Cincinnati Art Museum join curators from the Kyoto Costume Institute to reflect upon the wide-range of motifs used to decorate kimonos, the form and silhouette of the Japanese traditional dress, and how its basic two-dimensional structure and linear cut have been refashioned into a wide array of garments. As captivating as the kimono itself, this book will be a must-have for fashionistas and Asian art aficionados alike.

Provides a history of the culture, and examines style of the fashion garment, costumes of the No Theater, and the essential Buddhist garment

This distinctive volume reveals a unique antique kimono collection through various delicate Japanese colors and their use in kimono. The Japanese sensibility is immediately apparent in the classification of the nine traditional color categories of red, green, pink, blue, brown, purple, yellow, black/white, and gold/silver. Each spread presents a single color showing a page-wide photo of a kimono accompanied by a description of the color and its meaning in the context of Japanese culture. The author explains, "We organized the kimono and obi (sash) according to what I like to call ‘Japanese Kokoro no Iro’—colors of the Japanese heart. Each category presents what individual colors express or signify. For example, we use white, black and gold as an expression of cheer. Red indicates the sun, blood, and fire. White, black, and silver express sadness." With the knowledge of both Western and traditional Japanese fashion cultures, Yumioka presents and describes his collection in an easily accessible style.

Tap into the mysteries of the Orient with this traditional Kimono Child Costume. The pattern of this satin-look dress features bursts of white flowers against a bright red background. Long sleeves feature extra-long cuffs. Additional details include a wide red belt with a large bow in back and a red rose comb for the hair. Also available in matching 18-inch Doll

TRAVEL BACK TO TRADITIONNo matter what developments we make towards the future, whether robotic assistants and automated cars or laser blasters and practically telepathic Internet access, we are always going to look back at certain ages with a deep fondness.  Because, no matter when or where we are, we all want to be a samurai, too!  The nobility of holding a katana and the look of honor from the traditional wear has held us fascinated for an age and continues to do so.Of course, time portals back to the Edo Period, Meiji Era, or other realms that closely match the Tokugawa shogunate

Hello Kitty Teen Kimono Costume