Kimono news and archive

Exhibition in Venice explores Japanese menswear elegance

The exhibition "Men's kimono: Weaves of life, a story of style" opened in Venice on December 5. Curated by Silvia Vesco and Lydia Manavello, it will run until April 4, 2026, at the Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo, Study Centre for the History of Textiles, Costume and Perfume. Museum opens a window onto the little-explored field of Japanese menswear...

Featured

Culture

V&A launches curator tour of Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition

The V&A museum has launched a series of five films on YouTube that takes viewers on a personal, 30-minute behind-the-scenes tour of its Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition, which is currently closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic. Curator Anna Jackson guides viewers through the exhibition spaces, providing a personal insight into...

FeaturedMember

Culture

From samurais to Jedi knights, kimono stars in London show

London - Freddie Mercury, Yves Saint Laurent and George Lucas were all seduced by the charms of the kimono, whose evolution from medieval times in Japan will be on show at a major exhibition in London. The kimono has been worn by Jedi knights in Lucas's "Star Wars" movie saga, and David Bowie in his futuristic alter ego Ziggy Stardust. "It's...

FeaturedMember

Culture

V&A to stage Europe’s first major exhibition on the kimono

The V&A in London will bring together 17th-century Japanese garments, international haute couture and costumes from Star Wars in Europe’s first major exhibition on kimono fashion. The ultimate symbol of Japan, the kimono is often perceived as traditional, timeless and unchanging, the V&A is looking to counter this conception with a new...

Member

Fashion

Kim Kardashian announces new brand name for her shapewear line

Kim Kardashian’s upcoming shapewear line, initially named “Kimono”, is now called “Skims”, the reality TV star revealed on Instagram. Kardashian took a U-turn following backlash from Japanese consumers and personalities, including the mayor of Kyoto, Daisaku Kadokawa. She was accused of cultural insensitivity and appropriation, as kimonos are a...

Featured

Fashion

Japanese kimono makers seek to revive declining industry

At a century-old workshop in a quiet Tokyo neighbourhood, craftsman Yuichi Hirose brushes dye across meticulously hand-cut stencils laid on fabric, using a traditional technique to produce contemporary kimono patterns. Demand for the elaborate, elegant centrepiece of the Japanese wardrobe is in decline, but a handful of artisans and...

Member

Culture

Guimet's show traces kimono from prim tradition to glam fashion in Paris

The kimono, in myriad iterations from its origins in ancient Japan to its embrace by today's top fashion designers, took centre stage Wednesday at Paris's Guimet museum. While the once ubiquitous garment is now reserved for special occasions and official events in its homeland, it has inspired the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier and Dior's John...