Get ready for a renaissance in the vogue for kimono-esque wraps as the V&A unveils a major exhibition, Europe’s first major exhibition on kimono.
Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk (February 29 – June 21, 2020) will counter the perception of kimono as a traditional, timeless and unchanging symbol of Japan, presenting the garment as a dynamic and constantly evolving icon of fashion through an exhibition that will reveal the sartorial and social significance of the kimono from the 1660s to the present day, both in Japan and in the rest of the world.
Rare 17th and 18th Century kimono will be displayed for the first time in the UK, together with fashions by major designers and iconic film and performance costumes, including the dress designed for Björk by Alexander McQueen and worn on the album cover Homogenic, and designs by Yves Saint Laurent, Rei Kawakubo and John Galliano that reveal the kimono’s role as a constant source of inspiration for fashion designers.
