An Artform in Decline

[Sukerkin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15739403

I don't know if this will run for our trans-Atlantic cousins, I hope so. In essence it is a short piece on an all too familiar theme of a beautiful craft and art-form slowly dying in the modern world. The difference here that this is the kimono 'industry' in question. I for one would deem it a terrible loss to global culture if the last remaining few weavers and painters were to die out with no successors to carry the beauty and precision, embodied in their cloth, forward into the future.

At £10000 for a quality kimono it is perhaps not surprising that there are few buyers these days as the culture of Japan gradually changes towards a more Western 'feel' for fashion and public expression of 'place'.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Although this does not surprise me based on the things that are dying out in multiple cultures worldwide...this strikes me as rather sad, since a day will come when they realize what was actually lost that will take alot of very hard work to get back if it is even possible to get it back once itis gone.

 

[granfire]

Hmm, kind of like traditional clothes in Europe:
Time has moves passed were that style of close is considered practical or even safe.
And like in Japan, it seems like the women held onto it longer than the men.

It will probably like the clubs in Europe that break out heir traditional festival dresses on special occasions to stun the normal people.

While a 'Dirndle' can be had for much less than a Kimono (fabrics used are generally cottons and linens) I believe that the traditional accessories can be quiet expensive, as the chokers and other jewelry were meant to show off wealth. (I am takin it was a way to dress up the girls to get them suiters...)

Very sad.

And I find it somewhat funny 9with a sad smile) since traditional dress has a huge part in much of the popular media. You can find a lot of manga/anime characters sporting Kimonos and such which in turn shows up in such creepy endeavors like 'Cosplay'


maybe fashionistas need to breach the gap between the traditional Kimono and a modernized version?

(then again, a 'modern Dirndle' just yuck, right next to the nurse and french maid costume in the adult toy shop...)

 

[granfire]

And now you ahve me wanting to move to Japan again...