The kimono

OUR SIGNATURE GARMENT // The kimono is a Japanese garment that is uncommonly worn as an everyday dress. Originally, the kimono (Japanese word for “Thing to Wear”) has been used to refer specifically to traditional Japanese clothing. Its humble beginnings date back to over one thousand years ago, during the Heian Period. Although it is no longer an everyday choice, this traditional garb is still worn for special occasions, such as weddings, funerals and tea ceremonies.

For Somniis, the kimono has been a garment that expresses a sense of comfort and versatility. We experienced many forms of the garment and were amazed at the various ways that it could be transformed, much like the affect of the well known T-Shirt. Our designers have had a natural growing appreciation for the kimono and have personaly grew a connection to it.

From the Nara period (710-794 AD) until then, Japanese people typically wore either ensembles consisting of separate upper and lower garments (trousers or skirts), or one-piece garments. But in the Heian period, a new kimono-making technique was developed. Known as the straight-line-cut method, it involved cutting pieces of fabric in straight lines and sewing them together. With this technique, kimono makers did not have to concern themselves with the shape of the wearer's body.

Straight-line-cut kimonos offered many advantages. They were easy to fold. They were also suitable for all weather: They could be worn in layers to provide warmth in winter, and kimonos made of breathable fabric such as linen were comfortable in summer. These advantages helped kimonos become part of everyday Japanese lives.

Over time, as the practice of wearing kimonos in layers came into fashion, Japanese people began paying attention to how kimonos of different colors looked together, and they developed a heightened sensitivity to color. Typically, color combinations represented either seasonal colors or the political class to which one belonged. It was during this time that what we now think of as traditional Japanese color combinations developed.

During the Kamakura period (1192-1338 AD) and the Muromachi period (1338-1573 AD), both men and women wore brightly colored kimonos while warriors dressed in colors representing their leaders.

During the Edo period (1603-1868 AD), the Tokugawa warrior clan ruled over Japan. The country was divided up into feudal domains ruled by lords. The samurais of each domain wore identified by the colors and patterns of their "uniforms." They consisted of three parts: a kimono; a sleeveless garment known as a Kamishimo worn over the kimono; and a Hakama, a trouser-like split skirt. The Kamishimo was made of linen, starched to make the shoulders stand out. With so many samurai clothes to make, kimono makers got better and better at their craft, and kimono making grew into an art form. Kimonos became more valuable, and parents handed them down to their children as family heirlooms.

We were inspired by the beauty and methodic creative process to how the traditional Japanese Kimono has came to be. With a tremendous amount of respect for the Japanese culture, at Somniis, our intention is to be inspired by this cultural garment while helping others to understand where the garment comes from.

Fashion is a realm where many have the capability to copy without genuine recognition for the served inspiration. We will continue to honor the beauty of this garment by respecting how it is made and its origins.