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The national
dress of Japan, the kimono, has long exerted a powerful
influence on Western fashion. Not only have kimono fabrics
been a source of inspiration, but Western designers have
also responded to the kimono’s shape and construction, which
differs significantly from the three-dimensional form
characteristic of most Western dress.
The caftan was
traditionally worn by scholars and high officials throughout
the Ottoman Empire, which stretched from Eastern Europe,
through the Middle East, and across North Africa. In the
1960s, the caftan became fashionable in the West.
The cultures of
the world have very different clothing traditions, some of which
go back for thousands of years. When European designers
appropriate design elements from non-Western dress, they usually
know little or nothing about its original significance.
November 27, 2007 -
May 7, 2008
On the island of
Java in Indonesia, both men and women traditionally wore
long rectangles of cloth wrapped around the body. These
textiles often incorporate Chinese motifs, especially if
they were produced on the northeast of Java, which has a
substantial Chinese minority population.
The Chinese “dragon
robe” was worn by emperors, courtiers and high officials during
the Ming and Qing dynasties. The symbolic motifs and colors that
indicated rank and lineage in Imperial China were appreciated in
the West for their dramatic visual allure.
On the island of
Java in Indonesia, both men and women traditionally wore long
rectangles of cloth wrapped around the body. These textiles
often incorporate Chinese motifs, especially if they were
produced on the northeast of Java, which has a substantial
Chinese minority population.
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