I am a member of the LACMA’s Costume Council, so when I saw the invitation to visit the LACMA on a private tour with the curator of the exhibit I jumped on the chance.

Sharon S. Takeda, Senior Curator and Department Head of Costume and Textiles, led about 10 members of the Costume Council to a gallery walk-through of Kimono for a Modern Age just prior to the closing of the exhibit at the LACMA.

The kimonos were part of the LACMA’s private collection, and they were gorgeous.  Although most of them were actually worn by working class women in the early 20th century, the patterns were exquisite - some were plays on natures, some seemed to play homage to Miro or Matisse, and some were reminiscent of Jackson Pollock.  The textiles were dyed with a unique technological process allowing for many copies, and the colors remained vibrant even though you could almost see the weaving.

Following the gallery tour, we were treated to a demonstration of the art of actually tying and wearing a kimono.  Four artisans dressed 2 models in intricate kimonos and their accessories.  The models were wrapped like an intricate present - I couldn’t imagine taking off the garment and destroying the artwork.  We also learned about the tradition of men and women in kimono, the symbolism of the sleeve lengths (single vs married) and colors, as well as the placement of the accessories.

The entire experience was a jump into the artistry of Japanese textiles and fashion, and the LACMA treated us with as much honor as the artwork.