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 Nô 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.

A comprehensive introduction illuminates the history and key themes of Japanese dress throughout history, followed by chapters that offer a head-to-toe look at Japanese costume, from ‘Necklines and Shoulders’, ‘Headwear’, ‘Sleeves’ and ‘Waists’ to ‘Hems’, ‘Linings and Undergarments’ and ‘Footwear’. Each garment is accompanied by a short text and detail photography; front-and-back line drawings are provided for key items. Ideas for further reading, a glossary and index conclude the book.