Monday, April 27, 1998
Fashion eastward
ART: Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s new
retrospective examines the European trendsetter’s fascination of
Japan’s light, free style of clothing
By Michael Gillette
Daily Bruin Contributor
When Japan opened its doors to the world for the first time
toward the end of the 19th century, what emerged was, to Western
eyes, exotic.
This was the reaction of artists at the time. Beginning with
impressionists such as Manet and Degas, and continuing with fin de
siecle artists like Whistler, the European and American art
communities of the time were emboldened by the Japanese aesthetic.
These artists routinely included items from Japan in their
paintings because this allowed them the freedom to employ colors
formerly forbidden from their palette.
The reaction was similar in the world of fashion, and a new
exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, "Japonism in
Fashion: The Influence of Japan on Western Dress," which runs
through June 15, explores the give-and-take relations that have
existed between Japan and the West in the sphere of fashion since
Japanese-inspired styles first debuted in Europe.
The earliest pieces in this exhibit date from the 1890s, and
"exotic" is a very apt word for them. The pieces include coats and
gowns; the designers who produced them did almost nothing to
synthesize the Japanese style with the Western styles of the time.
This meant that the brave (and wealthy) Europeans who first sampled
these new goods wore almost undiluted Japanese fashions.
The results of this meeting between the stodgy and, by and
large, portly, white men and women, and their new, bright, silky,
unusually patterned garments are humorously captured in portraits
that the owners posed for.
From the notes that accompany these pieces, one can gather that
the wearing of these Eastern items was as much about freedom and
comfort as style or daring. The garments are quilted, and, for the
most part, unbelted. Viewers are told that the women of the day
often wore theirs without their corsets.
As time went on, the synthesis between Japanese and Western
styles became more sophisticated and successful. By the 1920s,
Japanese-influenced dressing gowns and theater coats were the
epitome of suave elegance. These garments, made of hand-painted,
embroidered silk – without the poufy arms and clumsy collars of
their predecessors – show a new, more stylish touch in design.
What remains in the new style might be termed "flapper chic."
Standing in the room, one could imagine a gaggle of Noel Cowards
entering, replete with cigarette holders, throwing on these
clothes, and boarding the next yacht to the continent.
Following this era, the exhibit dutifully records the trends
that have come and gone as Western designers dabbled in these
styles up to the modern day.
The most interesting twist in the exhibit, though, is its
documenting of the careers of two Japanese designers who have risen
to international prominence.
The first, Hanae Mori, makes timeless designs from printed
chiffon and silk crepe. Her patterns manage a beautiful, organic
mixture of Japanese and Western styles.
The second designer, Issey Miyake, practices more avant garde
pursuits. His interests lie in the simple geometric shapes of
ancient Japanese clothing. The exhibit nicely illustrates this by
displaying his garments in pairs, one on a mannequin and one flat
against a wall to show how a design that appears so colorful and
dynamic when worn on a coat is a simple circle with arms when laid
flat.
Both of these artists are well represented, and their inclusion
helps to neatly bring the exhibit’s thesis full circle.
In addition to the portraits mentioned earlier, the garments
that the exhibit collects are augmented by Japanese artworks and
knick-knacks from their corresponding time frames. This strategy
nicely illustrates both the traditions and trendiness that the
Japanese culture, like any culture, enjoys.
However, in spite of all its strengths, the exhibit feels
decidedly under-conceived. That is to say it accomplishes
everything it sets out to accomplish and leaves a viewer
underwhelmed. There is no fault to be found with the collection of
the garments displayed, or with the supplementary information
provided, but once illustrated, the tiny governing idea behind the
display, and the items themselves, are hardly compelling enough to
make for a satisfying exhibit.
An exhibit that compared this trend in fashion with the
corresponding trend in art would have certainly been more rewarding
for the comparisons and contrasts it would have offered. Likewise,
an exhibit that supplemented this look at Japan’s influence on
fashion with a look at their influence on American culture and
customs in general would have been both more provocative and
revealing.
As it is, however, this exhibit feels limited, and for all of
its successes, its rewards feel slight.
ART: "Japonism in Fashion: The Influence of Japan on Western
Dress" shows at Los Angeles County Museum of Art through June 15.
For more information, call (213) 857-6000.
Photos courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Art
A ceremonial samurai helmet is one of the items on display in
the exhibit, "Japoism in Fashion: The Influence of Japan on Western
Dress" at LACMA.
"Maisaka," from the series, "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido
Road."
Since the 19th century, Europeans emulated the comfortable,
silken robes of traditional Japanese attire.