流行

It would be impossible to look at fashion and fashion trends in Japan without first looking back at the kimono. The kimono’s history dates back to the Edo period (1615 - 1868). Due to the rigid hierarchy of Tokugawa Japan, people could not use their wealth to improve their social status. They found a way to show off their status by purchasing and wearing beautiful garments. Initially the samurai were the main purchasers of the garments the world has come to know simply as kimonos. This practice changed, however, when special kimonos were turned into a highly expressive means of personal display, an important indicator of the rising affluence and aesthetic sensibility. The status of the kimono was elevated to such a level that the wives of wealthy merchants held contests to see which of them could outdo the others with the opulence and grandeur of their personal kimonos. During the Meiji period (1868 – 1912), the word 'kimono' the thing worn, was coined to define T-shaped garments. At this time, men began converting to what is now seen as the predecessor to today’s business suits. Women on the other hand continued to wear the kimono. While at the Cherry Blossom Festival, I was able to talk to one of the vendors who sells traditional yukatas and kimonos. The assortment of colors, patterns, weight of cloth on the garments, and variety of obis surprised me. They were alluring in their beauty and tradition. It was so tempting to buy all of them, but they were out of my price range for even a single one.

Fashion changed drastically in the interwar years of the Taisho period (1912 to 1926). Women began entering the work force at which time western style clothing became more popular and convenient. Even with this drastic fashion change, the kimono still remained a staple within Japan. The general style, shape, and cut of the kimono stayed the same. What did change, however, were the designs and the patterns of the fabric being used in the construction of kimonos. Experimenting with new and larger motifs, interpreting and integrating western influences all served to change the face of the kimono. These vibrant, boldly decorative and intensely colored kimonos held their popularity through the 1950’s. Western clothing continued to integrate its way into Japanese fashion. Kimonos had become very expensive. With western clothing becoming more readily accessible, widely desirable and reasonably priced, the kimono slipped from its place as the most common form of fashion in Japan. By 2015 western style clothing has become the style of choice. The kimono is now saved for special occasions such as the tea ceremony and the Coming of Age Day. The price on these special occasion garments can be a thousand dollars or more. This has helped to bring the kimono full circle and return it to its place where it elegantly represents Japanese culture and tradition.

The interesting thing about Japanese fashion is that no matter how cutting edge, trendy and avant-garde it becomes, there will always be a place of high honor given to the traditional kimono. Japan does not seem to forget its history, it embraces its past, but it also looks toward the future with grace and Like the Japanese people themselves, their fashion is a mix of contradictions and traditions. Perhaps that is what makes Japanese fashion so interesting and exciting.