Own a custom-designed dress made with vintage kimono fabric

How it works

I am a dressmaker, and I am particularly interested in fashions from the 1950s and 1960s. I discovered vintage kimonos a few years ago; each one has a story, and I love the colors and textures. I always picture the prior owner choosing her kimono very carefully. I find that incorporating fabric from deconstructed kimonos into my own designs gives them an unexpected and unique twist.

Every dress I make is a custom piece -- here is how it works . . .

I consult with my client to understand the colors and styles they like best
We work together to come up with something really special and one-of-a-kind
We take your measurements (I am in the NYC area -- in-person is best, but you can also send me your info)
I draft a custom block on pattern paper that fits you and only you (and it's yours to keep)
I make a pattern for your dress, and you try on a toile (a version of the dress done in muslin)
We make adjustments, and I construct the dress with the fashion fabric
We do a first fitting, and I make any last-minute adjustments
We do a final fitting . . . and you have a dress designed just for, that fits you perfectly, and that incorporates some lovely historic kimono fabric

Additional information:

I make every dress personally
I do finish dresses with period techniques
If our dress design requires a little extra support, I also make my own corsets
I make "invisible" corsets with multiple layers of tulle, and I use steel boning
Repairs are covered for the life of the dress

Japanese Moga style comes to New York

Commission for a "Jazz Age Lawn Party"

For this commission, I wanted to make a dress using some vintage kimono silk featuring style elements from the same era as the silk.

I was fortunate enough to find a really stunning bit of kimono silk from the late 1920’s. For the dress, I decided to use simple cotton. This era featured styles that featured bold, horizontal stripes. Many contemporary matchbooks and advertisements featured green/blue colors. And many girls wore hats.

So . . . I designed and made a simple shift dress featuring stripes of green silk. I wanted something more fluid and summery, so I also made an overlay from silk/viscose chiffon to dial back the stripes a bit. I added bands of the same silk fabric to the cuffs, and added some to a hat, too.

I used rayon seam binding to finish the seams.

The kimono influences world fashion

1930's era "Beach Pajamas" made entirely from one kimono

Beach pajamas were the must-have accessory for fashionable women in the 1930s who were hitting the beach or lounging at their favorite resort. By the way, that is not a skirt – those are two VERY roomy trouser legs.

I like to think there is a connection between Japanese Kimonos and Western Beach Pajamas. Both cultures had recently been experimenting with androgyny in their fashion. Think of the “ideal” figure in the 1920s – flat chest and no hips. Japan’s version of the “flapper” frequently wore trousers, and I can imagine this influencing the development of beach pajamas. One thing is true – the fun art deco patterns that characterized beach pajamas definitely influenced the Japanese textile industry; the modern geometric patterns soon showed up in the kimonos of the era.