Japan Beyond the Kimono : Innovation and Tradition in the Kyoto Textile Industry

In the ancient city of Kyoto, contemporary artisans and designers are using heritage techniques and traditional clothing aesthetics to reinvent wafuku (Japanese clothing, including kimono) for modern life. Japan Beyond the Kimono explores these shifts, highlighting developments in the Kyoto fashion industry such as its integration of digital weaving and printing techniques and the influence of social media on fashion distribution systems.

Through case studies of designers, artisans, and retailers, Jenny Hall provides a comprehensive picture of the reasons behind the production and consumption of these rejuvenated fashion goods. She argues that conceptualisations of Japanese tradition include innovation and change, which is vital to understanding how Japanese cultural heritage is both sustained and evolving.

Essential reading for students and scholars of fashion, anthropology, and Japanese studies, Jenny Hall's sensory ethnography is the first of its kind, describing the lived experiences of people in the Kyoto textiles industry, explaining the renewal of traditional techniques and styles, and placing them both within contexts such as transnational 'craftscapes' and fast or slow fashion systems.

“The richness of this work makes it an important contribution to the bookshelves of Japanophiles, fashion students, cultural anthropologists, and others interested in Japan. The depth of research allows each audience to find its niche treasures within the complex folds of these pages. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels.” - CHOICE

“From elegant haori to cool jikatabi, this terrific book explores a spectrum of innovative wearable art. Looking beyond textiles, Hall also introduces us to the fascinating world of artisans, crafts guilds, and consumers of all types.” —Laura Miller, University of Missouri-St. Louis, USA