Under the plain exterior of Japanese men’s dress lies a world of dazzling imagery and rich symbolism. My dissertation explores ‘Hidden Japanese Men’s Dress’ – that is, decorative items of dress that were deliberately hidden from outside view. Through these items I explore the ‘Public and Private Self’ and the psychology of dress.
Euphemia Franklin
Utagawa Kunisada, Sumidagawa Kamida Sekkei, 1828–9. Woodblock print. © Victoria and Albert Museum. –
Kabuki actor walks along the snowy banks of the Sumida river, lifting his kimono to reveal the fabulous diamond-patterned layer underneath, while dodging a large snowball.
Unknown maker, Haori (kimono jacket), 1930s. Silk. © Victoria and Albert Museum –
A Showa period man's haori (overcoat) with Art Deco style imagery of jazz instruments on the lining.
![Unknown maker, [Kajibaori] (Protective garment for firefighter) Design of male figure on dark blue quilted cotton, Edo period, nineteenth century (1800–1850). © Tokyo National Museum.](https://res.cloudinary.com/rca2020/image/upload/f_webp,h_1920,w_1920,c_fill,g_auto,q_auto/v1/rca2022/62ab0448d33372b721782f20-199755?_a=AXAH4S10)
Unknown maker, [Kajibaori] (Protective garment for firefighter) Design of male figure on dark blue quilted cotton, Edo period, nineteenth century (1800–1850). © Tokyo National Museum. –
An Edo period firefighting jacket with a decorative lining. This would have been hidden while fighting the fire, and revealed once it was successfully extinguished or contained.
Euphemia Franklin, Display dedicated to Miyauchi Sakae Makoto, 2022. Photograph taken at the Yūshūkan Museum, Tokyo. © Euphemia –
A senninbari 'thousand person stitch' sash worn by a soldier during WWII. These were made by communities of women, who would stitch a thousand knots into a length of cloth for good luck. Soldiers would wear these hidden underneath their uniforms as an protective amulet during battle.
History of Design Symposium at the V&A. –
Please find my short presentation at 1:03:00, and the panel discussion I am a part of at 1:19:10.
Cotton plain weave with embroidery. Chiba: National Museum of Japanese History. © Euphemia Franklin. –
A close-up photograph of quite possibly the most spectacular undergarment in the world – a nagajuban (long under-kimono) in the Tokyo National Museum. This belonged to a man in the Meiji period, and is fully embroidered by hand with silk thread, depicting scenes from the bustling city of Edo. This would have been worn as a hidden layer of dress, underneath a much plainer kimono.
Abstract
The most spectacular items of dress are not always the most obvious. In the Edo period (1603–1868), sumptuary laws prohibited extravagant displays of luxury. As a result, men’s dress became increasingly austere on the outside, but could contain dazzling layers on the inside. My dissertation draws attention to decorative items of Japanese men’s dress that were deliberately hidden from outside view, through four key object types: (i) nagajuban, or under kimono; (ii) hand-painted haori jacket linings; (iii) hikeshibanten firefighting coats; and (iv) senninbari ‘thousand-person stitch’ sashes worn by soldiers under military uniforms. These objects are unified by their hiddenness, but contrast in the ways in which they express the public and private self of the wearer.
The public and private self links to the Japanese idea of honne and tatemae. Each of the items studied speak to the expression of the public, outward-facing self of the wearer (tatemae), as well as their private, inward-facing self (honne)Through exploring the duality of public and private, this dissertation analyses the complex psychology behind hidden men’s dress. Each object-type demonstrates how the public and private self can take a material form through items of dress.
Between January and February 2022, I travelled to Japan to conduct primary research. Through meeting with curators, researchers and craftspeople in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kyotango, I was able to deepen my understanding of men’s kimono and senninbari – their historic contexts and the extraordinary ways they were made. Object analysis in the UK also proved highly insightful. Key findings include the discovery of hitherto unknown information on a nagajuban in the National Museum of Japanese History’s collection and of a senninbari in the Imperial War Museum’s collection.
PDF: Dissertation PDF.
Please get in touch if you would like a higher quality version of this PDF!
Before studying at the RCA, I studied graphic design at the Kingston School of Art, during which time I received a D&AD New Blood award and a Creative Conscience Award. Following my BA, I worked as a graphic designer and producer, mainly on public engagement projects for cultural institutions including the National Maritime Museum, V&A, Japan House London and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation.
Through this MA, I am attempting to enter the realm of design history! My main area of interest is Japanese textiles and craftsmanship, with a particular focus on men’s kimono. For my dissertation I was very fortunate to travel to Japan, with the help of the V&A's Anthony Gardner Fund and the RCA's Research Expenses Award, to meet craftspeople and curators, and to study objects in person. However, my research is not limited to Japanese textiles, and for my first essay I wrote about medieval sheep breeding as a form of design. Needless to say, I now have a profound respect for wool production and can longer look at sheep the same way...
Currently I work for an antiquarian book dealer’s where I am able to continue my graphic design practice and use my design history research skills to research rare books.