Fukai A. et al. Fashion. From the 18th to the 20th sentury. The Kyoto Costume Institute

USA: Tacsen, 2004. — 100 p.This book consists of items of clothing selected from the extensive collections at the Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI). Since its inception in 1978, the KCI has held exhibitions around the world as a way of organizing research on Western fashion. The exhibitions and the catalogues that have accompanied them have met with acclaim from international audiences and by cutting-edge designers from all over the world.
Part of the recognition the KCI has received stems from its policy of displaying articles of clothing in a manner that is both academically accurate and true to life. In other words, the KCI presents clothing not just as historical artifacts, but also as vital elements of fashion. The exhibitions capture the elegance and charm that the clothing had in its day, as though simply having been "awakened" after a long "sleep." The KCI hopes that this publication, which covers selected historical clothing and fashion accessories from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, will enable an ever-wider audience to appreciate the wonder and pleasure of fashion.
How will fashion evolve in the twenty-first century? In the late nineteenth century, few people believed that women would ever be freed from corsets or that one day they would wear skirts revealing their thighs. It is therefore easy to imagine that surprisingly new and innovative ways of dressing will be enjoyed in the near future. The future transformation of fashion might be glimpsed by achieving an overview of the past history of fashion within its historical context.
The Kyoto Costume Institute aims to reassess our past through the study of Western fashion, examine the relationship between fashion and clothing, study the essential meaning behind the wearing of clothes, and suggest the direction that clothing will take in the future. The KCI believes that now, as ever, clothing is an essential manifestation of our very being.
This book presents the beauty and skill involved in the craftsmanship of fabric production and clothing design with high-quality images by excellent photographers. It is the goal of the Kyoto Costume Institute that this collection will be enjoyed as a common heritage shared by all peoples of the world.