Fashioning kimono: dress in early 20th-century Japan

Kimono for a woman, 1930-50. Montgomery Collection

These boldly patterned and brilliantly coloured kimono reveal the dynamism of Japanese textile design in the early 20th century. This was a period of economic prosperity and cultural expansion. Although western-style clothes were gaining popularity among women, the kimono continued to be worn. The traditional cut of the garment remained the same, but the motifs were dramatically enlarged and new designs appeared, inspired by western styles such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Their striking patterns reflected the confident spirit of the age and provided an exuberant visual statement for the modern, independent, urban woman.

In creating these exciting new patterns, textile designers benefited from technological advances made in the late 19th century. Power-operated spinning machines and jacquard looms introduced from Europe speeded up production and lowered costs, while chemical dyes allowed for the creation of dazzling colours. New types of silk and innovative patterning techniques were also developed, making relatively inexpensive, highly fashionable garments available to more people than ever before. These vibrant kimono styles remained popular until the 1950s.

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Kimono for a woman, 1942-26. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp thread (meisen)
Japan, Taisho period, 1912-26
Montgomery Collection

Many of the dynamic patterns that decorate early twentieth-century kimono reveal the influence of western art and design. The stylised roses on this kimono are reminiscent of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Here, however, the subtle pinks of the Glasgow Style are dramatically off-set with orange and dark red.

Kimono for a woman, 1912-26. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Gauze weave silk (ro) woven with stencil-printed warp threads
Japan, Taisho period, 1912-26
Montgomery Collection

The dragonfly (tombo) is one of the oldest decorative motifs in Japan. Its graceful form is perfectly suited to the fine gauze-weave fabric of this kimono. The delicacy of the pattern and cloth is counter-balanced by the bold visual rhythm created by the vertical stripes and the diagonal movement of the dragonflies.

Kimono for a woman, 1920-40. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp and weft threads (meisen)
Japan, late Taisho-early Showa period, 1920-40
Montgomery Collection

Many early twentieth century kimono are made from meisen, a fabric woven from silk obtained from defective cocoons. The introduction of mechanised spinning technology made it possible to use this lower-quality silk to create a thick, lustrous material that was both long-lasting and relatively inexpensive. Patterned with chemical dyes using an innovative direct-dyeing technique, meisen became the fabric of choice for fashionable, casual kimono.

Kimono for a woman, 1920-40. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp threads (meisen)
Japan, late Taisho-early Showa period, 1920-40
Montgomery Collection

Leaves floating on water are an enduring motif in Japanese art. The brightly coloured wisteria petals and lively whirlpool motif on this kimono epitomise the energetic style of 1920s and 1930s textile design.

Kimono for a woman, 1912-20. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Gauze weave silk (ro) with stencil-printed patterning (kata-yuzen)
Japan, early Taisho period, 1912-20
Montgomery Collection

The sense of movement in many of these kimono reflects the influence of Art Nouveau. Here the design of swallows flying over a meandering stream evokes the feeling of a cool breeze on a lazy summer's day. The pattern was created by applying chemical dyes mixed with rice paste through stencils on to the surface of the woven fabric.

Kimono for a woman, 1940-60. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp and weft threads (meisen)
Japan, mid-Showa period, 1940-60
Montgomery Collection

Kimono designs of the early twentieth century are characterised by their sense of movement. The impression of velocity has been abstracted to its essence in this garment. The design looks as it has been painted directly on the kimono surface, but was actually applied through stencils on to the warp (longitudinal) and weft (horizontal) threads before the fabric was woven.

Kimono for a woman, 1930-40. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp and weft threads (meisen)
Japan, early Showa period, 1930-40
Montgomery Collection

In the 1930s the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan became important icons of Art Deco, a global style that had a major impact on Japanese art and design. One of the most famous skyscrapers, the Empire State Building, forms an unusual, but arresting, motif on this kimono.

Kimono for a woman, 1912-26. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Hand-spun pongee silk (tsumugi) woven with stencil-printed weft threads
Japan, Taisho period, 1912-26
Montgomery Collection

Kimono designs of the early twentieth century often feature traditional patterns that have been updated to suit modern tastes. The arrow feather (yabane) motif first became fashionable in the early seventeenth century. On this garment the pattern has been dramatically enlarged to create a powerful visual effect.

Kimono for a woman,1920-30. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Silk-rayon blend with stencil-printed patterning (kata-yuzen)
Japan, late Taisho-early Showa period, 1920-30
Montgomery Collection

The bold arabesques that decorate this kimono reveal the influence that Art Nouveau and Art Deco had on early twentieth-century kimono design. The pattern was created by applying chemical dyes mixed with rice paste through stencils on to the surface of the woven fabric.

Kimono for a woman, 1912-20. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp and weft threads (meisen)
Japan, early Taisho period, 1912-20
Montgomery Collection

The design on this kimono was created using a technique that developed in the early twentieth century. Chemical dyes mixed with rice paste were applied through stencils to both the warp (longitudinal) and weft (horizontal) threads prior to weaving. This stencil-printing technique allowed for the creation of complex images such as the large, dynamic chrysanthemums that decorate this garment.

Kimono for a woman, 1930-50. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Ramie (asa) with stencil-resist-printed patterning (katazome)
Japan, early Showa period, 1930-50
Montgomery Collection

This elegant summer kimono (katabira) is made of ramie, a linen-like fibre well suited to Japan's hot and humid climate. The pattern has been created by applying rice paste through a stencil on to the fabric surface. When the cloth was dyed the colour did not penetrate the areas protected by the paste, which resulted in a design in white against the pale purple. This traditional stencil-dyeing (katazome) technique continued to be used alongside newer patterning methods.

Kimono for a woman, 1930-50. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Machine-spun pongee silk woven with stencil-printed warp and weft threads (meisen)
Japan, early Showa period, 1930-50
Montgomery Collection

The red, yellow and white ribbons that dance over the black surface of this kimono seem to echo the syncopated jazz rhythms of the age. To create this energetic pattern, chemical dyes mixed with rice paste were applied through stencils to the warp (longitudinal) and weft (horizontal) threads prior to weaving. This innovative technique speeded up traditional hand-tied resist-dyeing methods.

Kimono for a woman, 1920-30. Montgomery Collection

Kimono for a woman
Figured silk crêpe (omeshi chirimen) brocade-woven with lacquered threads (rama-ire)
Japan, Taisho period, 1920-30
Montgomery Collection

This kimono is made from a thick crêpe fabric called omeshi that was first developed in the 1880s. The pattern has been woven with lacquered threads which give the garment a very sumptuous appearance. The meandering grape vine motif is reminiscent of Art Nouveau designs, particularly those by the French artist Emile Gallé.

These kimono were lent from the Montgomery Collection and weredisplayed in the Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art (Room 45) from 13 October 2005 -2 May 2006. The collection is also the subject of a major book Fashioning Kimono: dress and modernity in early twentieth century Japan , edited by Annie Van Assche and published by 5 Continents.