At Fendi, haute couture was inspired by Japan and the elegant women of Kyoto this season . Kim Jones, the artistic director of the Italian house, reinterpreted the essential kimono in his July 7 fashion show. Last year, Nike collaborated with the Japanese label Ambush through a ready-to-wear collection revisiting this traditional outfit. From the streets of Kyoto during the Edo era (1603-1868) to the arteries of Paris today, the kimono, an emblematic piece of Japanese culture, crosses time and continents. The West’s interest in this garment does not start today. From the catwalks to the streetwear collections , this centuries-old piece, one of the most codified garments in history, has been revisited from every angle. And is now part of everyone’s wardrobe.
While the kimono first appeared in Japan during the Edo period, it quickly spread beyond Japanese borders. This culture inspired, in the middle of the 19th century, artistic avant-gardes such as Claude Monet and his work The Japanese , in 1876, or Vincent Van Gogh, who marveled at the land of the Rising Sun.
The exhibition Kimono, au Bonheur des Dames at the Guimet museum in 2017 also provided a look at the evolution of the kimono over time.
Japanese designers also introduced the kimono to the West. Kenzo Takada , Issey Miyake and Junko Koshino have reinvented clothing by modernizing it. “Twenty or thirty years ago, the kimono was seen as a piece from elsewhere. These designers used it as a fresh element in Western fashion, which helped to make it popular. At the end of its career, Kenzo Takada had launched a line of tableware and furniture. He used a lot of kimono motifs in his products. This initiative made it possible to make this garment known”, notes Japanese fashion journalist Harue Suzuki.
Furthermore, Yves Saint Laurent , Jean-Paul Gaultier and John Galliano have repeatedly drawn inspiration from shapes, fabrics or decorations that reflect Japanese identity. “As far as French designers are concerned, they are always looking for new things. It is therefore completely natural that they turn to the culture of the kimono, to use it in their own collection. They highlight a sense of aesthetics and favor the high quality of this emblematic piece,” she explains.
During his fall-winter 1994 collection, Yves Saint Laurent paid homage to Japan by referencing kimonos. Passionate about kabuki theater, the designer transformed traditional indoor clothing into outdoor clothing. He replaced the belt (obi) with bead and seed embroidery. While retaining the shape of the kimono, the latter brought a touch of modernity to the cut.
From authentic kimono to a Western reinterpretatio
After having aroused the interest of creators, it is also appearing among mainstream brands . Pop culture has greatly contributed to the spread of the phenomenon. “The kimono is the expression of a fantasy. Its popularity is linked to the culture of manga, video games, and even cosplay. It is a gender-neutral garment that suits everyone, regardless of our body type”, underlines Emmanuelle Hyson, artistic director of the Leherpeur trend office.
According to journalist Harue Suzuki, manga is one of the main influencing factors that has made it possible to understand the markers of Japanese culture and its dress codes.
Its growing success has opened up the field of possibilities for brands who reinterpret it in a workwear , streetwear or bohemian spirit. By immersing themselves in this iconic piece, they offer new silhouettes, like the London label Ju-nna which presents in its latest collection a floral double-breasted jacket, entitled Shibori. Contemporary French brands reinterpret it such as Sok Sabaï, Wild Paris or Hand So.On.
Kaïros Studio (which means T moment in Greek) is an emerging brand from Lyon which recently launched into kimono manufacturing. Designer Audrey Biagi makes her pieces by hand, using French fabrics from dormant stocks. The latter rediscovered the kimono by going to see Japanese tales for children performed. She also has a strong interest in printmaking, tattooing and the history of clothing. She also explains that these are the elements that encouraged her to get closer to the world of manga.
The Maharishi label also reinvents the kimono by taking the uniforms of the Vietnam War, with a ribbed collar and two oversized pockets.
For its latest collection, the Parisian upcycling brand Sok Sabaï, which means “it’s going well” in Cambodian, launched its Ray kimono on the theme of love and complicity. A unisex denim jacket, with a straight, oversized cut.
Aside from pop culture, the interest in the kimono also involves sport. The Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games highlighted its importance internationally. For this occasion, many creators and artisans such as Yoshimasa Takakura or the artist Miwa Komatsu came together to create a series of kimonos that represented each participating country.
French judoka Teddy Riner recently announced the launch of his own kimono brand, Fightart. Sport has become a vector for the dissemination of this culture. Through martial arts (judo or karate), this clothing has spread throughout the world. More than 15 million judokas and 110 million karatekas put on their kimono before hitting the tatami mats. Today he embodies Japanese identity.