a tale of peacocks-part 3

At-home gown 1904 -08

by Iida Takashimaya, Kyoto, Japan
plain-weave silk with peacock and cherry blossom motifs embroidered in silk using traditional nikuiri-nui (padded) technique, kumihimo (silk cord) and tassel trim, fuki (padded hem), and habutae silk lining

On loan from the Kyoto Costume Institute

This gown was made by Iida Takashimaya for the Takashimaya department store. This was the first Japan- ese store to export to Western Europe. The garment has a traditional kimono shape, but with a flared cut to suit European tastes.

Though the peacock is not native to Japan, the designer has included it on the gown as the bird became strongly associated with the Japonisme art movement of the late 1800s. A famous example of Japonisme was the Peacock Room – an entire room decorated in 1876–77 by artist James McNeil Whistler (1834–1903). (copy from the exhibit)