Ellie Kim

6/2/2016

What were the style and relevance of the Japanese Kosode beginning in the 12th century, and how did they develop through the 18th century and into our modern world today?

THE KOSODE

WAYS TO WEAR A KOSODE

PAST: GRECIAN DRAPERY

One of the most prominent examples of clothing and fabric in art history is Grecian drapery. Also considered as "wet drapery," the decision to include the cascading folds of cloth that highlight the human form in the statues was a very deliberate decision, especially in contrast to the previously nude figures. In this sense, the attention to detail and distinct choice to make a statement through clothing is one that spans all styles and ages, which can specifically be seen from the loose drapes in Greece to the structured and natural garments of Japan. In specific style, the fashions do differ, however, as the Grecians championed simple, muted outfits while the Japanese would later emphasize color and decoration. The purpose of Grecian drapery and clothing did not extend far beyond cool coverings, which also draws contrast to the hierarchal meaning behind kosodes.

This is a cool little article from The Met that compares Grecian drapery to fashion today - it doesn't have anything to do with kosodes, but it just considers another connection within the ever-evolving realm of what people choose to wear and why.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/god2/hd_god2.htm.

CURRENT: STRUCTURE IN CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE SPRING 2016

The structure in Chanel's Spring Haute Couture 2016 collection, headed by Karl Lagerfeld, is a perfect example of how the traditional Japanese form is still relevant today, especially in a different style. The small sleeve openings in Chanel's collection are extremely reminiscent of the very thing that defines a kosode. The straight fit of the garments also reflects the smooth and streamlined shape of the Japanese articles.

CURRENT: MENS' PRINTS IN LOUIS VUITTON SPRING/SUMMER 2016

The prints in Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2016 collection mimic the natural and flowery designs often present in kosodes. While the hues in the Louis Vuitton collection are slightly more vibrant than the traditional Japanese style, the birds and flowers are highly reflective of the appreciation for the natural world present in kosodes.

BIG ART HISTORY: KOSODES IN JAPONISME PAINTINGS

Japonisme is the influence of Japanese art, fashion, and aesthetics on Western culture. It was first recognized in the late 19th century, and became a prominent trend that clearly continues today, as in the fashion lines shown above. To truly tie the kosode into the universality of art history, however, considering the kosode in terms of Japonisme painting and art is crucial. While all of these examples depict Western women in Japanese attire, what is so amazing is that they are all from different decades, which is clear in the distinct artistic style of each. In this light, Japonisme and the influence of Japanese culture is truly timeless, in both physical form and artistic renderings.

VIDEO

This video is from the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture's exhibit entitled "Woven Identities of Japan: Kimono and Costumes". In it, the museum's curatorial assistant, Virginia Soenksen, talks about the kosode, uchikake, hitatare, kawabori, and a child kimono made of propoganda material. The video provides a good overview of traditional Japanese styles, and is a good resource for considering how they are all relevant to each other.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Classical Art and Modern Dress | Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Met. Web. 28 Apr. 2016. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/god2/hd_god2.htm>.

Dalby, Liza Crihfield. Kimono: Fashioning Culture. New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 1993. Print.

"Kosode." Immortal Geisha. MediaWiki, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2016. <http://www.immortalgeisha.com/wiki/index.php?title=Kosode>.

Mower, Sarah. "Chanel Spring 2016 Couture Collection." Vogue. Vogue, 26 Jan. 2016. Web. 28 Apr. 2016. <http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2016-couture/chanel>.

Soensken, Virginia. "Woven Identities of Japan Exhibition." YouTube. Cultural News Video, 17 Dec. 2011. Web. 5 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyVuEOcGS4M>.

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Cothren. Art History. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.

12 Comments

Alix Elizabeth

6/3/2016 09:10:05 am

I think this is a really interesting survey of Japanese fashion and the evolution of the kosode, even as it relates to styles we have seen in Ancient Greek draping techniques and even in contemporary trends. Fashion isn't the first thing I would think of when I think of Japanese art but it's definitely a good direction for this project to head in and I definitely learned a lot from your web page.

Virginia Taylor

6/5/2016 12:42:17 pm

I absolutely loved reading this! I just did my senior seminar presentation on Fashion and Religion, so I think it's so interesting to see how fashion through the ages has been used as more than just a work of art--it truly says something about the values and lifestyle of a culture. I thought it was interesting that you found ways that fashion carries over into different Eastern and Western cultures, for example, I loved reading about the connections between the traditional Japanese Kosodes and Greek drapery. It's fascinating to see how fashion can truly represent a culture, like you said, the Kosode is more than just an article of clothing and represents politics, social structure, and many more aspects of ancient Japanese culture. I also love how you tied this all to fashion today, it shows that while fashion changes through the ages, all fashion seems to represent a culture, and draws inspiration from examples before it. I love to crossover of art and fashion, I believe fashion is as much an art as anything else, and I especially loved seeing it in Japan, as that is perhaps not the first thing that would come to mind when thinking about Japanese art.

Josie Ladle

6/8/2016 01:37:12 pm

LBR, I don't think anyone else besides Ellie is really qualified to talk about fashion (your immaculate fashion taste is kind of intimidating TBH, like dang you always look so good how do you do it), & this project is no exception. I thought the men's collection pictures you included were super cool, and I definitely respect the thigh-high shorts. They're rocking them better than I could, that's for sure.

Ben Widener

6/9/2016 09:16:47 am

I think your work on the evolution of the Kosode was excellent and you are clearly the most qualified to talk about it with your interest in modern fashion and publication of the Fringe Magazine (seriously, great work there keep it up!). The connections to greek and modern clothing fit very well with the presentation of the Kosode and you did a very good job at keeping the reader hooked.

Lyla Rossi

6/9/2016 09:37:16 pm

I love this post; not only does it have a beautiful aesthetic, but its content is so well thought-out and organized. I actually thought it was super interesting when you mentioned that the kosode used to be an undergarment, or a robe. Like I'm assuming that may have been a little scandalous back in the day, but all of a sudden it was a popular fashion statement. I think it's kinda reminiscent of the whole nude vs. naked concept, although it might be a little bit of a stretch, it's a similar idea of what is scandalous or unappropriate in art and fashion, and how that can change. But really, this is fab.

Helena Trevor

6/9/2016 10:38:20 pm

You picked a really interesting topic, because when I think about fashion, I think about trends and clothing and comes in and goes out of style and everything seems veyr transient. But instead you looked at the evolution of a piece of clothing that has been altered, but not eradicated, by fashion trends and that says something very powerful about Japanese culture and the garment itself. I also think the natural scenes or flowers and birds on the kosodes were really pretty and a characteristic of the Japanese belief in Shintoism.

Alex Norman

6/9/2016 10:57:27 pm

Too often I think we forget about the forms of art and creative expression like fashion that are part of our daily lives. Like fine art, fashion often makes a statement, serves as social commentary, and helps us to learn more about an individual, culture, or a community. That said, I'm really glad you chose to explore the evolution of the Kosode. While reading the part of your post that detailed the appropriation of the Kosode forms in contemporary fashion, I thought of a current fashion trend in our culture. It seems a lot of the retail stores are pushing clothes that push geometric patterns extremely reminiscent of Native American weaving designs and clothes with fringe. I think the incorporation of this style is awesome, I just think it would be cool if the fashion industry did more to educate the public about the significance/origins of their designs.

Erin Paasch

6/9/2016 11:57:43 pm

This topic was such a good fit for you, and I think that's part of the reason why you did it so well. Your modern connections were especially compelling since I'm not terribly well-versed in the world of high fashion, but t's amazing to see the circular nature of fashion trends. Great work!

Evelyn

6/10/2016 12:22:17 am

First of all, Ellie great post! Second, Josie I have to disagree ;-) I listen to presentations by for dinner together the other day talking about fashion and I like the points she starts to make it her comment I'd love to hear your thoughts bounce back-and-forth between you two! To focus back on your post, ellie, it's great that you took a passion of yours and connected it to art history something together. This shows your interest and dedication and it makes me intrigued as the it's great that you took a passion of yours and connected it to art history something to you. This shows your interest and dedication and it makes me intrigued as the viewer. Awesome job! - I hope we can discuss it more in class!

Ishani Pendse

6/10/2016 12:37:13 am

I loved reading how fashion ties to art so strongly as fashion is very indicative of cultural norms of the time. Good job for picking such an interesting topic and something that you are so passionate about! I also love that you included something on the importance of Nike of Samothrace as that is one of favorite sculptures. Good job!

Campbell Wharton

6/10/2016 02:41:10 am

First off Ellie, thanks for picking a topic that somehow fit with mine, it was awesome to get context on the Kosode I referenced in my project while reading yours. Your presentation of how the kosode came to be and how it was used was great. The amount of connections you got to today were mindboggling, it's amazing to see how much the influences of the past can be seen today. It really was cool to get to see such a range of influences in the fashion you picked. On a more selfish note, I love that you referenced the Nike of Samothrace, as that's one of my favorite pieces.

Sophia Mccrimmon

6/14/2016 02:29:18 pm

On the issue of the use of traditional Japanese motifs in contemporary fashion, I think it's interesting to consider what qualifies as "cultural appropriation" in modern fashion. A lot of fashion lines have been accused of using imagery and motifs from other cultures without giving due diligence to their religious or cultural significance, instead using them just for aesthetic effect. I don't think that's necessarily what's happening here with the Louis Vuitton collection, since those images do not necessarily carry a lot of religious significance in contemporary Japanese culture, but I'm interested to know where the line is drawn. Awesome post!

Ellie Kim

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