The Case of the Dying Kimono
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subdued kimono, such as a solid color or iromuji kimono, so as not to
detract from the simplicity of the Chado. The aesthetic of the tea
ceremony embraces values such as simplicity, asymmetry, age,
roughness, austerity, and monochrome color. These ideals extend to the
clothing of both host and guest.^’ Students of other traditional arts
including dance, Kyudo (traditional archery), and the martial arts often
wear kimono or other traditional clothing.
Artisans and craft workers have also been inspired by kimono
design and fabric. Since many antique and vintage kimono are stained or
damaged, they are often repurposed into pillows, scarves, dresses and
other decorative items. In January 2013, Etsy had about 12,000 listings
of handmade items created from repurposed kimono, haori and obi or
inspired by kimono design or fabric. These items included Wa Loli
dresses, pillows, slippers, business card cases, evening bags and crib
mobiles.^*
Since the most compelling forces in contemporary society are
activities involved in interpersonal relationships, kimono culture in the
United States is a way that people can group themselves to give their
lives meaning. Studying, wearing, and collecting kimono are ways for
humans to organize their lives by means of their consumption choices
through the creation of a subculture of consumption.^^ A consumption
group is characterized by “an identifiable, hierarchical social stmcture; a
unique ethos, a set of shared beliefs and values; and unique jargons,
rituals and modes of symbolic expression...Such a subculture typically
encounters, in certain products and activities, cultural meanings that
ultimately become articulated as homologous styles or ideologies of
consumption.”^® For many members of the kimono community,
especially cosplayers or reenactors, the creation of a consumption
community “allows the creation of a fantasy time and place defined by
experiences, objects, and activities.”^* While many of these interactions
take place in a face-to-faee environment such as reenactment events,
anime or manga conventions, antique shows or Japanese cultural
activities, the internet and social media allow the community to expand
to men and women who will never actually meet.
Clothing is an indicator of the ideas, beliefs and affiliation of the
wearer and this is also true of the kimono community. Although
composed of disparate groups with different goals, aesthetics, and values,
the surge in kimono interest suggests that wearers may be indicating a
desire to disengage from the stress and conformity of life in twenty-first
century American culture through the creation of a fantasy world, the