ALL IN THE DETAILS: Culture Connection

Did you know that kimonos are a significant part of Japanese fashion history? No? Well, now you do! The look bounced back recently from the early days of fashion as it is a trend that has been shown on runways and warn frequently as street style, especially at music festivals, starting last summer. They were first introduced to the 21st century on the runways of Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Fausto Puglisi and Givenchy and then trickled down the fashion ladder to being worn by teenage girls to women in their 20s at music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo. Kimonos even make appearances nowadays as bathing suit cover-ups and on top of the everyday outfit.

This Fashionista wore a kimono as an accessory on top of a plain white tank top with some distressed blue jeans. The only difference between this Fashionista’s look and the typical kimono look is that hers has an African-Oriental hybrid influence. The red color and patterns on the kimono are beautiful and remind me of African tribal wear, an interesting way of crossing cultures through a garment. This is what I love about fashion! As an original design is built upon and changed over and over again, incredible meetings of cultures can come about and inspire change amongst ourselves as people, to integrate with one another and know each other’s customs beyond the fashion. Fashion is a self-expression of culture, the evolution of culture and cultures’ integrations with each another. How #RAD is that?!

How To: You can imitate this Fashionista’s cultural hybrid look by pairing any few garments from different cultures together to create your own cultural masterpiece!

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