NGV kimono exhibition
If you haven’t seen the Kimono exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, go now as the exhibition ends on October 5.
My friend and kimono aficionado Tina San and I visited last week and we were enthralled by the artistry and elegance of the exquisite Japanese garments.
The collection includes more than 30 never-before-seen acquisitions.
Featuring rare and hand-crafted kimono from the Edo period to today, Kimono is a brand-new, NGV-curated exhibition that explores the timeless elegance and enduring appeal of this iconic Japanese garment.
Celebrated throughout the world for its meticulous craftsmanship and sophisticated sense of style, the kimono has had an indelible influence on global art, design and fashion culture since Japan opened its borders to the world in the mid-nineteenth century.
Showcasing the ongoing evolution of the kimono in contemporary culture and the latest trends within Japan, the exhibition presents the work of historical artisans alongside contemporary Japanese kimono designers.
They include Hiroko Takahashi, Jotaro Saito, Rumi Rock, Robe Japonica and more.
The global appeal of the kimono is showcased by it’s influence on the work of international fashion houses and designers, including Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano, Comme des Garçon, Alexander McQueen and more.
Seven newly acquired Edo-period silk and ramie kimono – adorned with wisteria tendrils, maple leaves, falling snow and other motifs – offer a glimpse into the style and sophistication of the samurai and merchant classes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Highlights include a traditional red wedding kimono decorated in bamboo, pine and crane motifs using a special Japanese tie-dye technique, known as shibori.
Illuminating an Australian Japanese story the exhibition also includes a white wedding kimono gifted by the Melbourne-based family of the late Funiko Saito, who once worked as the official embroiderer to the Japanese imperial family.
See Kimono now, before the exhibition says sayonara.
Kimono at NGV International, St Kilda Road.
Until 5 October 2025.
Phone +61 3 8620 2237
WWW.NGV.VIC.GOV.AU
