Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk

I’d recently visited the kimono exhibition ‘From Kyoto to Catwalk’ at the Dundee V&A Museum and been blown away by the gorgeous clothes, materials and objects relating to kimono wearing. The book had sold out in the museum shop, but fortunately I found it on Amazon and ordered it. It’s a magnificent homage to the kimono, enriched with beautiful images, superb photographs and rich detail and history. Yes it showcases many of the items from the r by Utility so much more. It goes through the history up to modern day and how contemporary designers, artists and others are using it so creatively. It’s a very big book - you’d have to have a decent sized coffee table to put it on, but that makes it all the more special and very definitely worth the money. Every time I open it, I’m immersed into the world of kimonos and so enjoy delving into the sumptuous world of this intriguing garment. (The Geisha bookmark in some of the photos is my own!)

A beautifully written and illustrated book The text is really interesting and knowledgeable, not heavily academic, and the illustrations are fab. The whole concept is perfect. I saw this exhibition and was amazed at the beauty and design of the kimono. I am so glad now to own the catalogue.

Saw this book on sale at exhibition at Dundee priced double Amazon’s price! Bought it from Amazon as a gif for my daughter. Beautifully illustrated and lots of details too on the subject. Gorgeous quality book. Highly recommended.

I bought this after seeing the exhibition. It is an excellent book. Well laid out. Great pictures. Informative. A fascinating read, whether you have a passing interest, or are a student in this area. Highly recommend.

Great photos and history of kimonos taken from V and A exhibition. Bought as a gift for a very lovely friend who creates amazing pieces from vintage Kimonos

Beautiful book. The V&A Dundee had run out!

Absolutely fabulous. This exhibition came to London towards the beginning of the first lockdown (in my country) in March so I was unable to see it in person. However this book is so beautifully detailed with excellent high quality photos showing the incredible detailing in the different kimonos, folds, structure etc that it was well worth the price. I ended up watching the tour on the v&a YouTube page while following along in my book. It really was the next best thing to being there.

Virtuosic interdisciplinary scholarship combined with fastidiously expressed sensibility make this one of the most impressive catalogues for an exhibition I’ve come across. It manages to remain accessible and engaging while explaining some very complex matters with great clarity. The book doesn’t aim to provide a comprehensive manual or directory of technical subjects, so doesn’t displace the established literature on the subject, but its presentation of kimono as a cultural artefact, as a product of social and commercial relationships that it carefully explains, is exemplary. I haven’t seen the exhibition yet (it opens at the end of the week in which I’m writing) but judging by the book, this show seems likely to take its place as one of the V&A’s great productions, up there with the 1970 Berlioz exhibition, as a demonstration of the insights and understanding which genuinely interdisciplinary scholarship can bring to a subject. Anna Jackson, take a bow!