Recently opening to great anticipation at NGV International, Kimono is a stunning celebration of one of Japan’s cultural icons. Spanning over 400 years of craftsmanship and style, the NGV-curated exhibition showcases more than 70 exquisite kimono, along with 150 complementary works including woodblock prints, paintings, theatre costumes, and contemporary fashion pieces. The result is a visual journey that examines the evolution of the kimono from the Edo period to the forefront of Japanese street fashion.
The exhibition unfolds with each garment revealing layers of craftsmanship and cultural meaning, many unveiled to Australian audiences for the first time. Highlights include seven newly acquired Edo-period kimono, their flowing silk and ramie surfaces adorned with delicate motifs of wisteria, maple, snow and pine. Equally captivating is a traditional red wedding kimono created using the intricate shibori tie-dye technique, and a rare white bridal kimono once owned by Melbourne’s Funiko Saito, a former imperial embroiderer in Japan.
The exhibition balances reverence for tradition with a deep dive into the kimono’s modern-day reinvention. One standout is the Australian premiere of Dark Romantic, a 2025 collection by contemporary designer Jotaro Saito, whose bold, hand-painted creations merge heritage techniques with a distinctly modern aesthetic. Also featured are trailblazing works by Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons, whose reinterpretations of the kimono silhouette have left a lasting impact on global fashion.
Beyond Japan, Kimono reveals the garment’s influence on Western couture, particularly during the Japonisme movement of the early twentieth century. Parisian coats from Poiret and Callot Soeurs sit alongside designs by John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, each echoing the kimono’s sculptural lines and exquisite surface detail. Sydney’s own Akira Isogawa adds a local lens to this global narrative, his garments quietly paying homage to the kimono’s form and symbolism.
A section dedicated to theatrical kimono from noh and kyogen traditions adds further depth, revealing the role of costume in Japan’s performing arts. With their shimmering brocades and gilded threads, these pieces reflect the opulence of garments once worn by the nobility.
Spanning centuries of style, from traditional samurai dress to colourful Harajuku looks, Kimono reveals how Japan’s iconic garment continues to inspire the world. A celebration of craft, culture and creativity.
LEARN MORE https://wwwtest.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/kimono/
