A major exhibition on kimono is being staged in London to show the garment's unique and evolving contribution to the global fashion industry.
"Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk," which opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Saturday, presents the kimono as more than just traditional formalwear, as it is often perceived in the West.
Speaking on Wednesday at a press preview of the upcoming exhibition, Tristram Hunt, the director of the museum, described the kimono as "dynamic" and said it has had "an enormous influence on international clothing styles for the last 400 years."