Indigo Shibori in 19th Century Japanese Fashion
Sample Fabrics ( Muslin and Cotton )
Kimono Inspired Garments
Garments on the Body:
SEMINAR RESEARCH OUTLINE: Japan_Outline_AnnotatedBibliography
SEMINAR RESEARCH PAPER: JapanPaperFinal
This piece was one of my favorites in the exhibit. It appealed to my visually the most out of all the pieces in the exhibit. The moment I saw this, I thought of a modern, woman samurai. The unconventional material used for the garment appears to be bells of different sizes and looking at the garment as a whole, it looks like a very protective piece – from the high collar like wall and the density and hardness that comes from the look of the metal bells. I love how her long, feminine hair is used as a mask. This also reminded me of samurai ponytails and buns. This adds to the strong and warrior like look but it is contrasted by the fact that its her own hair, something personal and vulnerable in a way. This idea was very appealing to me. This relates to my research project on Japan. Although I am not focusing on samurai in my report and studio project, I have done some reading on them and their influence in the shift to the Meiji period which is a big part of my report on Japan. This also matches my studio project, where I am making modern styled/inspired kimono garments. This dress is like a modern samurai look.
Researching Japan in the 19th century for my final project/paper in Studio and Seminar, I have read about the kimono and its significance in geisha’s attire. I have also read about how the kimono was adopted by the West and how it was a garment that wealthy men would wear as a night robe. I have decided to make a few kimono inspired garments that I will dye with indigo and experiment with shibori techniques on. Indigo was commonly used as a dye in Japan for garments. After having read this, I noticed how blue is found in many prints from the 19th century depicting women in kimonos. Shibori is a set of Japanese techniques that were used to create patterns on kimonos and other garments when they were being dyed. For the in class make-a-thon, I made a prototype of one of the garments I plan on making to dye.
19th Century Japan
Object 1
This is Sleeping Cat (Numeri Neko) that was made in the 1890’s (The Meiji Period). It is satsuma-ware (porcelain) and it was an incredibly popular motif found in Japanese culture. Many of these sleeping cat statues, like this one found at The Japan Society, were made for export to western countries. Many foreigners that visited Japan in the 19th century took these statues with them as souvenirs as well. They became so popular for export that that is why they were made out of satsuma-ware, which is a material that the Japanese made specifically for export items.
This informs my research on Japan in the 19th Century because my research surround Japan’s opening up of their market to the rest of the world during that period of time. I am interested in Japan’s influence in western fashion due to this and the fact that the Japanese were creating items, in any art form, specifically for export to western market helps me to ask more questions about why Japan opened up to the rest of the world and the extent of it’s influence.
Object 2
This is a Japanese inspired vase made by Tiffany and Co. in the 19th Century. Edward C. Moore worked for Tiffany and Co. at the time and was an avid Japanese art collector. He was the head designer and supervisor of the silver plant of Tiffany and Co. for the whole second half to the 19th century. The content and form of this design is specifically inspired by Japanese design. This is an example of the influence of Japan on American decorative arts.
Once again, this informs me in my research about Japan’s influence on the West during its opening to the rest of the world in the 19th century. This shows the major extent of the influence on American products and what was considered in trend and fashion of the time. This vase can be found at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Asian arts collection even though it is an American piece of art. I think this exemplifies Japan’s influence if an American piece can be included in the Asian arts collection at The Met.
Scarf Design and Styling: Olivia Swinford
Photographs: Olivia Swinford
Model: Taria Partyka
Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Gold and black ensemble, polyester chiffon, 1976, France
Here, the use of pattern is very interesting and pleasing to the eye for many reasons. The gold on black contrast is very appealing to the eye and the art nouveau style pattern draws in the eyes. The pattern is not too wild, but at the same time the viewer follows its eccentric curves and turns over the woman’s body. The draping of the dress is casual, while the pattern of the dress is more evocative of formal wear. The pattern flows over the dress just as the chiffon would flow as the woman walks. This pattern is composed beautifully on the dress so that the eye can follow it complexly and easily while at the same time flattering the woman’s body. The many shapes that are found in this pattern make the viewer linger on it even longer. It evokes a sense of royalty and with the colors it uses and the grandeur size of the shapes.
Yves Saint Laurent
Multicolor and turquoise “Chinese” evening ensemble, printed silk crepe, 1977, Paris.
The “Chinese” pattern of this dress was very popular in its time. The black ground color emphasizes the bright, multicolored, oriental pattern that covers it. The accents of turquoise in the pattern also compliment the turquoise at the bottom of the dress. The design repeats itself, while at the same time it is not clearly repetitive. The same small curves are rotated and connected in different places. This makes the pattern very pleasing to the eye matched with the fact that many colors are utilized. The draping of the dress is also matched with this pattern. The loose sleeve but fitted top reflect the small space that it is left between the pattern and the free flowing curves of the pattern. This dress also is reflective of the art nouveau movement that goes hand in hand with the rise in orientalist inspired patterns that came about in the 20th century. The overlay of the textile over another piece of the textile adds even more depth to the pattern, which is not apparent right away, but upon further and closer gaze on it, it becomes apparent.
Halston
Navy full-length dress, printed knit cotton, circa 1976, New York.
This Halston is free flowing and casual which matches the pattern of multicolored flowers flowing through the wind. This is emphasized even more by how the dress would flow as the woman walks. The contrast of red and white flowers really pop off the dress and the green stems draw the eye from one group of flowers to the next. The pattern of the flowers going up on the upper half of the dress, changes when the dress hits the waist and the flowers begin to point down as the fabric flows down. Both the pattern and the cut of the dress evoke the season of spring and it blurs the line between casual and formal, just like St. Laurent did in the first one. The wrap of the dress around the neck matches the way the pattern of the flowers flow around the dress.
Footnote: Richard Proctor and Jennifer F. Lew, Surface Design for Fabric (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1995), 11-16.
Bibliography: Proctor, Richard, and Jennifer F. Lew. 1995. Surface Design for Fabric. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
1.1 The idea that is expressed in the reading is one that states we as humans have an impulse to make a design on something that is not already designed.
1.2 “In every case the action or technique is the result of a design need and an expression of a design principle or element. Also at work is a seemingly universal human need related more to instinct than to intellect – that is, the need to embellish an otherwise plain surface.” – pg. 11
1.3 There is something about a blank slate or canvas that appeals to humans. It allows us to express ourselves onto that surface, which is something that all humans long to do in one way or another. It makes humans feel as though they have left their mark.
2.1 The author describes the best technique as to how an artist should go about planning their pattern and how to keep both the artistic spirit alive, while also properly planning it out.
2.2 “The best plan is to work known to unknown factors, possibly establishing major color areas or guidelines, then returning to the drawing board and determining the next series of known factors…balance is struck between impulse and intellect.” – pg. 11
2.3 This is good advice for artists because artists tend to create based of emotion, but artists must also be practical in their application. If an artist can be both passionate and practical about their work, they will be able to share their work more fully and properly with others.
3.1 The author discusses how the origins of designs begin and how much of the inspiration is directly captured in the finished product.
3.2 “Eventually, the question arises as to how a particular motif or fabric design idea was arrived at. It may have come directly from that source, be it a fern frond, a pre-Columbian textile, or an Egyptian frieze.” –pg. 12
3.3 Here the important question of plagiarism or cultural appropriation comes into play. How much of the source can remain in a designer’s pattern before is becomes stealing from the source. How do we know the line between originality and inspiration?
Part 3:
Blank spaces and new beginnings are found everywhere in human thought. I believe this natural phenomenon is so prevalent because we as humans long to express ourselves and leave our mark on the world. This can be found in fashion, in the way designers can take a simple textile and put their own pattern onto it, therefore making the garment an expression on themselves and it becomes something that can be shared with others and around the world, even if they personally cannot.
How a designer communicates their ideas and designs to rest of the world is important because it is an reflection on themselves, who they are, and what they have to say. The authors of “Surface Design for Fabric” have good advice in this arena. They discuss how an artist can start with the known and move to unknown and how this leaves room for the artist to balance their emotional, artistic drive with the more practical and resourceful side of executing their design. These ideas will help an artist more properly communicate to the rest of the world.
When it comes to inspiration, there are many different questions that arise. An artist can derive inspiration from just about anything, but it is crucial that the designer give credit where it is due. What can an artist claim as his or her own work since there is nothing new under the sun? How then can an artist make sure that they are not stealing the ideas and designs of others, but rather that they are creating a conversation with the source of their inspiration?
What are your thoughts on viewing the Met’s textile collection online?
I found it very exciting to view the collection online. It was rather enjoyable being able to limit the data results in various times periods, cultures, and medium; the surprise of what came up next was very exciting. The collection inspired me to design and to want to learn more about the cultures behind the textiles.
Did it spark in you a desire to see the work in person?
It most definitely inspired me to want to see the textiles in person. I wish I could have seen the texture up close and to see if the colors looked the same in person. I also longed to feel that special feeling you get when looking at a piece of art in person, and not just looking at a photo of it.
What do you think the benefits of museum’s collection’s being online?
I think it is very beneficial because these collections online can open up a world of exploration and discovery for people who cannot view the textiles in person. I, myself, have been inspired as a student and an artist by being able to view these collections online. Not only does it inspire and educate people around the world, but it also inspires people to come to the museum to see the textiles in person.
