Kimono

The early twentieth century saw the introduction of new textile techniques in Japan which speeded up traditional resist-dyeing methods. Chemical dyes mixed with rice-paste were applied through stencils to the warp (longitudinal) and/or weft (horizontal) threads prior to weaving. Stencil-printing both warp and weft allowed for the creation of more complex images such as the abstract motifs on this garment. Their fast, flowing forms seem to echo the rhythms of the busy, modern city.