12 Easy-to-wear Kimonos That Combine Both Japanese and Western
Presenting The Creations Of The Traveling Kimono Dressmaker Yumi Yamamoto
by IGNITION Staff
(Photos courtesy of Yumi Yamamoto)
Do you like kimonos? A lot of people would probably say: “You mean the traditional Japanese clothing? They’re beautiful but they seem difficult to wear.”
Indeed, when compared to everyday clothing like a skirt-knitted-top combo, kimonos are quite difficult to wear because a real kimono has a lot of additional “parts” like a neckpiece (haneri), a sash (obi), a sash bustle (obiage), or a sash cord (obijime).
However, kimono dressmaker Yumi Yamamoto says that this also allows the wearer to rearrange all those elements and bring out 100% of a kimono’s beauty.
In 2001, Ms. Yamamoto, a longtime enthusiast of antique kimonos, became involved in the creation of a book about kimonos, and set off to create her own traditional Japanese garments and accessories.
As her “Traveling Kimono Dressmaker” moniker suggests, Ms. Yamamoto travels all over the world to places like France, Taiwan, the Netherlands, the UK etc, buying local fabrics to fashion into original kimono designs inspired by everything she sees around her. She then exhibits her creations in every country that she visits.
That’s why a Yamamoto kimono combines both Japanese and Western styles, and is easy to wear even for people who have never tried one on.
Let’s take a look at the world of modern, pop kimonos that have won Ms. Yamamoto fans in every corner of the globe, from Japan to the United States, France, the UK, and Australia etc.
1) A Cycling Kimono
A jacket-pants arrangement consisting of haori (traditional Japanese short coat) and hakama (traditional Japanese trousers.) The haori is decorated in the Yamamoto brand’s signature rabbit pattern, while the hakama features a flower corsage print. With a normal kimono, the wearer cannot take big steps, but with a haori-hakama combo, it’s even possible to ride a bike. This style would probably be a good starter for people opposed to kimonos.
2) A Dress Kimono
A kimono arrangement that looks just like a dress. Normally, a wearer chooses a different color and pattern for the kimono and the obi sash (the garment’s belt-equivalent), but here, they are one and the same, creating a strong feeling of uniformity.
3) A Modern Rose-print Kimono
A modern rose-print kimono made from a fabric inspired by the rose pattern on a 1920s comb.
4) A Kimono Made Out Of Sari Fabric
A kimono made from heavy silk purchased in a British immigrant district, which would probably have been used by an Indian person to make a sari. Its polka dot pattern is entirely embroidered, while the horse-pattern sash is made out of French curtain material. The model is the Japanese actress Tomoko Nakajima, the muse of the Yamamoto brand.
5) A Rabbit-pattern Kimono
The rabbit-pattern design was Ms. Yamamoto’s first creation. It was assembled from old children kimono patterns. The haneri neckpiece is made out of French lace.
6) A Tricolor Kimono
White polka dots on red are emblematic of the Yamamoto brand. When combined with a blue sash made out of a cowgirl-pattern fabric imported from the United States, the red, white, and blue colors create “Yumi Yamamoto’s Tricolor.”
7) A Red Kimono
Not even frequent wearers of traditional Japanese clothing get to put on a red kimono very often, but with a few black accents, it becomes something that anyone can wear. The arrangement includes French lace that has been hand-stitched to the area around the neck; the tabi (socks) and zouri (shoes) feature the same pattern with black and white polka dots.
8) A Kimono For A Bride Getting Married Tomorrow
This next creation is apparently Ms. Yamamoto’s favorite arrangement. Imagine a foreign woman marrying a Japanese person abroad. The wedding ceremony is tomorrow but today she’s rehearsing for the big day in her kimono. The garment uses different fabrics on the left and right side in an alternating style known as katamigawari.
9) A Western-style Kimono
An arrangement that looks just like Western clothing. The black kimono and sash are meant to bring out the whiteness of the model’s skin. Using patterned cloth over patterned cloth isn’t a new idea with kimonos, but here, the style is sure to agree even with people unfamiliar with it.
10) A Beginner’s Kimono
Beginners probably wouldn’t like a kimono with a flashy pattern. That’s why this easy-to-wear arrangement is just the thing for them. You can think of it as a transitional kimono worn before moving up to more flashy designs.
11) A Space-themed Kimono
Ms. Yamamoto also manufactures this space-themed arrangement under the name Spica. The kimono itself resembles dark skies while the sash features a moon landing pattern. If you look closely, you might just see an astronaut there as well.
12) A Kimono For A Woman Who Loves Japan
The rabbit-pattern kimono is worn by “a woman who loves Japan.” The setting for the picture is that it was supposedly taken in a Japanese house during the model’s visit to Japan. The sash features a print of a French town photographed by Ms. Yamamoto herself.
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On September 11, 2015, a store that rents out Yumi Yamamoto’s kimonos for two hours ( http://www.tokyokawaiimusee.com/) has opened on level B0.5 of Laforet Harajuku, a department store in Harajuku, Tokyo. The store’s selection features 20 kimonos, including all but one of the above arrangements. “Even if you don’t know how to wear a kimono, you can just come in and try one on any time you want. Please, go and enjoy Harajuku and Shibuya while wearing one of my creations.” (Yumi Yamamoto)
(translation: Cezary Jan Strusiewicz)
Originally published at ignition.co.
