Clothing defines people. A person's attire, whether a sari, a kimono, or a suit, is the essential key to their culture, class, personality, or even religion. Founded in 1978, the Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI) recognizes the importance of the meaning of clothing from sociological, historical, and artistic perspectives. Currently, the KCI, which houses one of the most extensive costume collections on the planet, has accumulated a wide range of garments, underwear, footwear, and historical accessories dating from the 18th century to the present day.
History of Fashion, which showcases the institute’s vast collection, offers a fascinating journey through fashion of the last three centuries. It includes impeccable photographs of clothing skillfully organized and displayed on custom-made mannequins. This book attests that clothing is “an essential expression of who we are” and reflects the institute’s passion for fashion as a complex and intricate art form.
Among the book’s authors are some of the brightest minds and sharpest eyes in fashion scholarship: Akiko Fukai (chief curator of the KCI), Tamami Suoh (curator at the KCI), Miki Iwagami (fashion history professor at Sugino Fashion College in Tokyo), Reiko Koga (fashion history professor at Bunka Women’s University), and Rie Nii (conservation assistant at the KCI).
