japonismefashion: Visite1890This gorgeous piece is a fascinating example of Japanese designs referen
japonismefashion: Visite1890This gorgeous piece is a fascinating example of Japanese designs referenced by Paris fashion. Japanese motifs of cherry blossoms and kabuto (samurai helmets) are arranged vertically. These motifs were hand-worked in elaborate cord embroidery onto separate silk cloths, which was then applied to the cashmere. The sideways-oriented kabuto that acts as a counterpart to the cherry blossoms is laid out symmetrically in a European fashion. The visite is one version of a coat created for the bustle silhouette. ———————————————————————-This one example of a Japanese pattern adopted by the Paris mode at the very start of the period. Clearly Japanese motifs of cherry blossoms and Japanese kabuto (samurai helmets) are arrayed on this fashionable silhouette. These motifs were hand-worked in elaborate cord embroidery onto separate silk cloth, which was then applied to the cashmere. However, it would be a mistake to think that the layout of the war helmets is typically Japanese style, as the perpendicular arrangement is Western European in sense and style. Picture Sources: | 1 | 2 | 3 |Text: KCI & Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century, Kyoto Costume Institute, pg 294Alexander McQueen was influenced by this garment for Givenchy’s 1997 Fall/Winter haute couture collection -- source link