Japanese Dress in Detail

An extraordinary exploration of the beauty and complexity of Japanese garments and accessories, 'Japanese Dress in Detail' reveals the elaborate embroidery, intricate pleats and delicate dyes that make up some of the most beautiful garments in the V & A's superlative Japanese dress collection. The reader is granted a unique opportunity to examine historical clothing that is often too fragile to display, from breathtaking Edo-period kimonos, court robes or No theatre costumes, to more rarely preserved pieces such as a 19th-century quilted farmer's coat or fireman's hood, as well as handpicked contemporary designs. Bringing together more than 100 items of clothing, this book reveals the intricacies of Japanese dress from the 18th century to the present. Including garments for women, men and children, the details have been selected both for their exquisite beauty and craftsmanship, and for how much they impart about the wearer's identity, be it age, status or taste. A comprehensive introduction, illuminating the main periods and key themes of Japanese fashion history, is followed by thematic chapters that cover all aspects of clothing, from hair accessories and necklines to hemlines and shoes. Each garment or object is accompanied by a short text exploringits structure and the fascinating range of decorative techniques employed, including embroidery, weaving, lacquering, stenciling, dyeing and digital technology. Specially commissioned detail photography and line drawings provide an invaluable resource for Japanophiles, students, collectors, designers and lovers of fashion and world dress.-- taken from publisher description.