Is this me in my happy place? Why yes, yes it is One again, the Tokyo Kimono Show does not disappoint! This year’s extravaganza of style started off with a contrast between past and future, with a parade of nicely curated Edo Period clothing on the left… and futuristic manga-inspired costumes by a Taiwanese artistContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Kimono Show 2025 delights and amazes”
Tag Archives: kimono hime
Eye Candy from the Tokyo Kimono Show 2024
If you think that “kimono fashion” is something that went out when samurai stopped roaming the streets, think again! Not only is modern kimono dressing alive and well, the annual Tokyo Kimono Show is where designers showcase their latest innovations. This year’s special exhibit was a rare chance to see Heian period robes (from whenContinueContinue reading “Eye Candy from the Tokyo Kimono Show 2024”
Tokyo Kimono Show: Feast your eyes on THESE beauties
The Tokyo Kimono Show returned last weekend, and the fabulous new kimono coordinations have never been more inspiring. Rows upon rows of mannequins displayed the stylish offerings of designers from all over Japan… …and they were skillfully set up so they could be appreciated from front and back Some designers took the opportunity to styleContinueContinue reading “Tokyo Kimono Show: Feast your eyes on THESE beauties”
Uber Dandy Kimono: Wildly modern, breathtakingly bold, insanely stunning
Tia Oguri is so fabulous I can’t even I’ve been a fan of the divine Tia Oguri since long before she began designing kimono with traditional African fabrics, because her kimono styling has always been out-of-this-world fresh and exciting. Her latest venture, though, is pure WOW. Take a look at her Uber Dandy Kimono designs,ContinueContinue reading “Uber Dandy Kimono: Wildly modern, breathtakingly bold, insanely stunning”
Modern Kimonos To Die For: These Designers Are Giving An Old Artform New Edge
Hello, fellow kimono lovers of all shapes, sizes, colors, & geographic persuasions! If you’re like me, and love modern kimono dressing—especially my favorite kimono hime style—you’re in for a treat! Kimono princessing is all about mixing East and West, colors and patterns, styles and eras, and it warmly embraces vintage, second-hand delights as well asContinueContinue reading “Modern Kimonos To Die For: These Designers Are Giving An Old Artform New Edge”
Feast Your Eyes On This: A Shop Full Of Taisho, Meiji & Showa Era Kimonos
Whoa, is that a Meissen silk…? ga-ZINGGGG! Today I was beelining toward a garden, through a neighborhood I never visit, when I was stopped cold by the kimono lovers’ equivalent of Aladdin’s Cave. Your nose would have been glued the glass too, if you’d spotted this many brilliant & pristine Meissen silk kimonos in oneContinueContinue reading “Feast Your Eyes On This: A Shop Full Of Taisho, Meiji & Showa Era Kimonos”
Kimono Princess For A Day!
Ever since I discovered that one of the most inspiring kimono stylists I know offers private tour and photo sessions, I’ve been dying to swan around Tokyo in a gorgeous ensemble, styled down to the last deco bracelet by modern kimono maven Anji Salz. (If you don’t already follow @salztokyo on Instagram, check these photosContinueContinue reading “Kimono Princess For A Day!”
Jazz Age Paintings Of Beautiful Women And The Real Kimonos They Were Wearing
If you love kimono – and especially if you love Taisho and Showa-age kimono – don’t miss this exhibition! Right now, the Yayoi-Yumeji Museum – where over 3,000 of artist/illustrator Takehisa Yumeji’s works are archived – is displaying the actual kimonos and accessories worn in his paintings, side by side. I’m a huge fan of TaishoContinueContinue reading “Jazz Age Paintings Of Beautiful Women And The Real Kimonos They Were Wearing”
Tamao Shigemune: Modern Kimonos That’ll Knock Your Socks Off
Paris model photos all by the ultra-talented Tsubomi Photo Studio So you think you can’t rock a kimono because you’re not Japanese? Think again! Tamao Shigemune designs modern versions of traditional Japanese women’s wear with a distinctly Parisian twist, and guess what? You can see them (and try her new summer collection on!) right now in Tokyo, through Sunday MarchContinueContinue reading “Tamao Shigemune: Modern Kimonos That’ll Knock Your Socks Off”
Princess Kimono, Animal Style
The bunnies will be all over you at the rabbit café when you swan in wearing this bun-centric obi. Obscure seasonal references to geese and crows? So tenth century! Leaf viewing and strolling beneath the cherry blossoms? Been there, called it a cab. Let’s strap on our princess kimonos and hit the animal cafés instead! Coming or going, let’s show thoseContinueContinue reading “Princess Kimono, Animal Style”
New Type Kimono: Maximum Princess
So, check out one of my all-time favorite Japanese fashion trends – the Kimono Princess! Your typical Japanese gyaru might be happy to see kimono-wearing go the way of ballroom dancing and tea ceremony, but a growing number of hip young women are adopting the techniques of alt fashion subcultures to breathe new life into old-skool clothes. Kimono hime lovers flaunt convention with a mash-up of vintageContinueContinue reading “New Type Kimono: Maximum Princess”
More Alike Than You Might Think
This week my friend Tomoko and I searched out a tiny vintage kimono shop in Shimo-kitazawa that was featured in Yamato Kimono-hime, the magazine from which I scanned the fabulously styled photo on the left. That article made me think differently about kimonos, and I got to thinking about how Kalico Delafay’s Dollymop designs made me think differently about a western garment that historically defined female beauty:ContinueContinue reading “More Alike Than You Might Think”
Only In Japan 