What is so fascinating about royal dress? Clearly, in the case of Diana, Princess of Wales, her fame and glamour set the style for millions of people worldwide. But for countless centuries, the dress of the ruling classes has been about far more than just setting a trend: It has confirmed the high status of the wearer and even symbolized the ruler's connection with heavenly power. In England, for example, one 16th-century portrait shows Queen Elizabeth I wearing an extravagant dress, embroidered with ears and eyes, symbolizing her role as divinely-appointed guardian of the nation.
So the exhibition of costumes worn by ladies and Imperial members of the Japanese court, now at Tokyo's Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum, can be enjoyed on two levels. First, for the sheer pleasure of seeing artistic kimono, exquisite embroidery and rare Art-Deco outfits, and second, for their rich symbolism and the way these changing styles reflect Japan's changing identity from the late 19th to early 20th centuries.
This small but satisfying exhibition is drawn from recent acquisitions and gifts to the museum's collection, including sumptuous townswomen's wedding kimono and children's wear (the latter are being displayed in celebration of the recent birth of Princess Aiko).