Description: With its characteristic cut and brilliant colours, the kimono symbolizes all the elegance and refinement of traditional Japan. No other culture has valued its textiles more highly than the Japanese. The kimono has its origins in the many-layered robes of Heian court ladies, while the finely detailed patterning of its cloth was seen as long ago as the eighth century. Fine cloth is an integral part of Japanese religious ceremonies, and costume design is central to two of the most celebrated of their art forms, the Noh and kabuki theatres. Richly illustrated throughout, this book explores the history of the kimono from its antecedents twelve centuries ago, to the bold designs and technical innovations of the Momoyama and Edo periods, up to its contemporary influence on designers such as Kenzo and Issey. Chapters on Noh and kabuki robes, religious garments, and folk designs fill out this intimate portrait of Japan's most celebrated form of dress.

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