Bill Davison

So I study Fashion as a degree at Plymouth College of Art, we regularly have visitors coming in giving lectures on their field of study and bill is the last person I thought I would be interested in. He is interested in the Far East, especially Japan, specifically Kimono's.
So everyone knows a Kimono right? But maybe not like this, they were extraordinarily beautiful.


Japan had no foreign influences between 1600 and 1800 because they didn't want their history and culture to be ruined by foreigners, all foreigners already living in Japan at this time were put at the very tip of Japan and walled in there.

'We are elite as a nation, we are special'

Japan have a very 'If it isn't broken,don't fix it' attitude, which meant they had one style of shoe for over 200 years, and they are still worn today because they are practical made of rice straw, they are basically what we know as the flip flop. They aren't inventive people, they re-invent and they don't have many natural resources.

No clothing in Japan has zips or fastenings, they didn't exist, they had ties, and they worked so why change it?

'Kimono- Ki = Garment, Mono = Something - Something wear'

All looms in Japan produce a piece of fabric that is roughly 32cm wide. In Tokyo there is the 'old city' where everyone dresses more traditionally, wearing Kimono's etc. Pockets were seen to be ugly so they are embedded witthin the long sleeves of these garments, if kimono's have long sleeves that almost reach the floor it shows that a lady is single and so available for marriage, once married, Kimono sleeves are shortened. Some designs such as the Imperial Carriage, Shivoy, Fans, turtles and cranes are still used, but you can also get more modern designs that are influenced by the A

rt Deco period for example.

Kansha No I (thankyou)

Charlotte

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