KABUKI CHIC

Kansai Yamamoto received international acclaim in the early 70s when he designed the elaborate and dramatic kimono-influenced costumes for David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust period. In the late 1970s to mid 1980s, the Kabuki-motif enhanced coats, sweaters and blouses of the other Yamamoto (not Yohji) were the ultimate in avant-garde Japanese chic style. Kansai Yamamoto stopped producing ready to wear in 1992. This year The Philadelphia Museum of Art had a major retrospective of Kansai Yamamoto's designs. Pictures of the exhibition may be viewed here .

The silk over-sized lilac blouse below is a dead-stock design from the early 1980s that cost nearly four figures over twenty-five years ago. The clothes were a fortune back then, but this blouse has a traumatic Kabuki figure in multiple colors that is enhanced with various colored sequins placed strategically. One can finagle the neckline to wear it more off the shoulder as it's extra wide. The bat-wing sleeves only further make this pullover blouse's sensual joie de vivre style and is a perfect addition to your wardrobe.

Yamamoto Kansai by Kansai Yamamoto lilac silk Kabuki bat-wing blouse, c. early 1980s. Marked size L, free size. Deadstock SOLD

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