History and origin of the kimono

The origin of the kimono often intrigues more than the garment itself, so much so that its silhouette seems to have passed through the centuries without a single crease out of place. Yet what we call a kimono today is the result of a long series of transformations, the broad outlines of which fashion historians reconstruct without being able to date everything with certainty. We therefore offer you a cautious journey, without shortcuts or invented dates: the meaning of the word, the way the cut became established, and then what remains of it in the Japanese-inspired kimonos worn today in France.

At the roots of the origin of the kimono: a word, then a cut

The word itself is a good starting point. “Kimono” combines two elements that literally mean “thing that is worn”: a very broad term that only gradually took on its current sartorial meaning, notably when it became necessary to name Japanese attire in the face of clothing from the West. The origin of the kimono is therefore not reducible to an invention that could be dated to a specific day, but rather to the moment when an ordinary garment became a recognized one. Its construction, however, follows a stable principle: straight panels of fabric, assembled with very few cuts, which are closed by crossing the front panels rather than buttoning them. Specialists generally trace this logic back to layered outfits worn in Japan, which were themselves marked by influences from the continent. It is in this same spirit of restraint that we speak of our own designs, without attributing to them a lineage they do not have: our approach is summarized on the our story page.

The origin of the kimono is found in its successive layers

A large part of the origin of the kimono lies in the way the layers were reorganized over time. Fashion historians most often cite a garment with narrow sleeve openings, the kosode, as its direct ancestor, which was worn under other layers for a long time before coming to the fore as layered outfits became simpler. This shift from underneath to on top explains a great deal: a piece designed to remain hidden becomes a surface to be decorated, and the belt that holds it in place gains width and importance, particularly during the Edo period. Materials followed a comparable social logic, with silk for the wealthiest circles, and hemp, then cotton, elsewhere, depending on the period and use. Contemporary designs inspired by this silhouette are, however, most often made of satin, which refers to a shiny weave rather than a fiber, made from synthetic threads depending on the design.

What the origin of the kimono has left in our wardrobes

History obviously did not stop at Japan's borders, and this silhouette spread far beyond, even into our most everyday clothing vocabulary.

The origin of the kimono and Western loungewear

When exchanges between Japan and Europe intensified, this straight, enveloping silhouette greatly appealed to Western designers. The word then served, in French as in other languages, to describe wrap-style loungewear dresses with wide sleeves and a loose cut, which owed their general appearance to the Japanese model but nothing more. The vocabulary of dressmaking retains a clear trace of this: a “kimono sleeve” is a sleeve cut as one piece with the body of the garment, without a shoulder seam, a direct legacy of the straight-panel construction. This is also why the origin of the kimono so often intersects with that of the dressing gown and the robe, three families that can be observed side by side when browsing all dressing gowns.

How the origin of the kimono changes when you choose one

Knowing the origin of the kimono above all helps you look at a modern design for what it really is. In Japan, traditional clothing is now reserved almost exclusively for major occasions, and it follows precise rules of wear and construction that have been passed down and codified. The pieces found in France, including ours, freely borrow its most recognizable features: the straight line, the front panels that cross over each other, the belt tied at the waist, and motifs borrowed from Japanese iconography, from the koi carp to the crane, from the dragon to the cherry blossom. These are Japanese-inspired garments, not ceremonial kimonos or yukatas, and that is exactly how our collection of kimonos should be understood.

Conclusion

Tracing the origin of the kimono means following a garment that has changed its place far more than its shape: moving from underneath to on top, from everyday wear to ceremony, and then from Japan to the rest of the world, it has retained its straight panels, its front crossing, and its tied belt. This simplicity of construction is probably what explains its longevity, and the ease with which other cultures have adopted it over the decades. Ultimately, the essential point lies in a simple distinction, the one that separates traditional Japanese clothing from its contemporary reinterpretations, without confusing the two or pitting them against each other. If this history makes you want to wear one every day, browse the collection of Japanese-inspired kimonos and let yourself be guided by the cut and pattern that speak to you most.

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