Taishō kimono: Taisho kimono : beauty of Japanese modernity in 1910s & 20s

Abstract

"During the Taisho period (1912-1926), designers began incorporating Western-style motifs into traditional kimono designs. While the traditional all-over patterns and decorative patterns concentrated along the hem continued to be used in formal kimono worn for weddings and other ceremonial events, fashionable kimono for chic, dressy occasions developed a cornucopia of new designs. Moving beyond botanical motifs, kimono designers created painterly designs in a Western manner, using a variety of motifs. These new kimono styles became highly fashionable and were adopted by women in general across all segments of society. A significant influence on these new developments was Art Nouveau, an ornamental style of art that had flourished in Europe, and particularly France, from the end of the nineteenth century. Characterized by sinuous lines suggestive of the flowing curves of flower petals and the veins on leaves, Art Nouveau rapidly spread world wide. It reached its zenith at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, where Art Nouveau dominated throughout. Japanese visitors, amazed by this new style of art, worked eagerly to bring it home to Japan. Given the visible impact of Japonisme on it, Art Nouveau was a readily approachable style for Japanese designers and consumers, and it was promptly applied in graphic design, interior decoration, fabrics for Western-style clothing, and kimono, particularly in the Kansai region. It was also in the Taisho period that kimono influenced by Art Deco, the successor to Art Nouveau in Europe, appeared. Art Deco designs combined a simple strength not found in Art Nouveau with an emotional mood suggestive of pathos. A perfect match for the ambience of the Taisho period, Art Deco was treasured by many in Japan. The Suzaka Classic Museum kimono collection introduced in this volume consists of textiles worn by ordinary people that strongly reflect the mood of the Taisho period. These fascinating garments feature fresh designs that mingle the classic and the modern with richly contrasting color schemes"-- Introduction (page 3).