Kimono

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the craze for Japanese art and design in the West, known as Japanism, had a strong impact on the Japanese textile industry. This evening robe illustrates the confluence of the two cultures: a kimono silhouette in a fabric embroidered with butterflies and chrysanthemums has been Westernized by the use of center-back pleat construction. This type of garment was produced for export by the Kyoto-based kimono and silk store Iida and Co./Takashimaya, and would not have been worn by Japanese women. From about 1893, Takashimaya sold goods specifically for the foreign market. This ready-to-wear robe bears similarities to Takashimaya’s export art textiles, including large-scale wall hangings.

On view from October 22, 2022–February 20, 2023