Text: James once said of his five decades of work: “If I were known for only two things, it would be the celebrated dis- placement of the dart and the wall of air between the body and the fabric. All of my seams have meaning — they emphasize something

James once said of his five decades of work: “If I were known for only two things, it would be the celebrated dis- placement of the dart and the wall of air between the body and the fabric. All of my seams have meaning — they emphasize something about the body.” These two aspects refer to Japonism in the mid-19th century, when Japanese society collided with the Western world. The kimono constitutes the epitome of all Japanese fashion from a Western perspective. This icon of Japanese clothing has a major influence on the creation of a new silhouette with a looser fit and starkly minimized seams. While the pattern of the Western gar- ment is based on the body, the pattern of the Japanese garment is based on the fabric.