Striking Cords:
Kumihimo Silk Braids
as Fashion Statements
in Japan Past and Present

 

Braided silk cords called kumihimo have been made in Japan for over 1,400 years. Over the centuries, they have been worn by members of the aristocracy and religious orders, as elements of their dress that were not only functional but also highly decorative. The diverse styles of braids and their rich colors and patterns made them exciting accents of a warrior’s armor and sword furniture and of the kimono ensemble of wealthy urbanites alike. Today, these cords are also being incorporated into contemporary fashion, from clothing and shoes to detailing for handbags, cell phone cases, jewelry and other accessories. Japanese fashion expert Josephine Rout from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London presents a lecture with slides introducing the many ways that these gorgeous silk cords continue to contribute to fashion.

*To watch the video in full screen, please click on the image above, then click on the YouTube icon on the lower right-hand corner. 

Speaker Profile

Josephine Rout
Josephine Rout is a Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum where she looks after the Japanese collections of Meiji, Modern and Contemporary Fashion, Design and Metalwork. She is a graduate of the University of Canterbury, Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the Royal College of Art, London.

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At the V&A, she was Assistant Curator for the Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art refurbishment, curated the Friday Late Neo Nipponica and was Project Curator of the exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk. Her first book, Japanese Dress in Detail (2020), is shortlisted for the 2021 Association of Dress Historians Book of the Year Award.