Design 2: Pink

This design is a combination of a japanese kimono, a bodysuit, and a hoodie/dressing gown. It is made of silk on the upper half and of polyester on the lower half, with the dividing line being concealed underneath the belt. though the "ears" on top of the hood are made from a firmer taffetta in order to make them stand up, and the "panty" section is lined with cotton in order to preserve hygiene and comfort. This design takes inspiration from Japanese culture, as traditionally, a furisode kimono is a style of formal wear with large sleeves, and is worn most frequently in modern Japan by unmarried women for special occasions, and unfrequently on a daily basis by some men and women in Japan. The kimono is a clothing item of growing popularity in Europe, worn most frequently as casual wear, much like a dressing gown or lingerie piece, which is the style this design is intended to be worn in, even though it gives nods to aspects of the kimono which derive from Japanese culture, such as how the left side appears to go over the right side, since in Japanese kimono traditions, this is always the case unless the kimono is being worn to a burial. Most kimonos are floor length, but this design is intended for an American or European audience as a casual lingerie/pyjama garment, as opposed to being based purely off of Japanese culture and the Kimono. The back of the dress honours japanese tradition by being the place where the belt is secured, on this design this is achieved using the same mechanism used by average brassieres, a hook and eye mechanism, making it easy to apply and remove, and applying enough support to the garment without putting any pressure on the wearer. The 'tail' on the back is sewn onto the belt on the reverse of it, above the hook-and-eye pieces, and falls down to cover the join at the back. The concept of having a tail and ears comes from the rising popularity of cats in modern Japan, as they are no longer considered a food item in common society, and are now a very popular pet and staple of culture, as you can see many fashion designs from Japan featuring it, and in many places in Japan, most notably Tokyo, you will see many things feature cats such as mascots, on products, as logos, and even cafe's with live cats for customers to pet and play with, which are very popular in Japan. Cats on the European market are also exceptionally popular, since animal themed clothes have long been a favourite for casual clothing in the homes of western people, and felines have connotations of beauty and comfort (Cat-napping, anyone?), and it is highly beneficial to consider the general concept a potential buyer would see behind an animal. For example, a rabbit is considered shy and also sexual, so lingerie featuring rabbits would probably be in a 'pure' colour such as pink or white, but would do well being quite skimpy, and would probably sell better around springtime, specifically Eastertime. Cats as a domestic animal are famed for sleeping a lot and being comfortable anywhere, and also looking very beautiful, and a clothing piece featuring cats gives the buyer an impression of comfort and beauty. Bodysuits are regaining popularity in culture today, though they were at their peak popularity in the 1980's, which was a time of freedom and sexuality for all people, though there were many advances for Women's Rights during this decade, and women began to be seen much more as the independant and sexually revered figure they are portrayed as in most media today, than the conservative possessions they were considered for much of history. The concept of a bodysuit ties into the connations of cats, since both are linked to ideas of independance and beauty, and femininity (many men would consider a cat more of a 'woman's pet' than an animal such as a dog or snake, so being a cat lover is often considered a feminine trait in western society). This design is intended to express femininity, beauty, and sexuality, and would be marketted at an audience of 18-25 year old women if it were to be sold. The garment would be applied by opening the bottom of it ( there is a 'popper' mechanism between the legs of the piece) and placing it over the head, much like a tshirt. It is not intended to be worn with anything underneath, but it could be worn with lingerie beneath it, and underneath trousers or a skirt to be a casual garment for warmer weather. The silk allows for it to be soft and flexible on the upper half, whereas the polyester on the lower half enables it to be figure hugging, comfortable, and flattering, and yet still shiny like silk, so you would not instantly recognise the difference in material.

The design is mainly in black, as this design is considered figure flattering, sexually enticing, and is linked to the concept of black cats, who have connotations with mystery and beauty. The colour pink is used on this version of the design as it is very feminine, and pink is a colour frequently seen on European versions of the Kimono, often with pink sakura flowers (known as cherry blossom in the western world), which are a cultural icon used very often in items of clothing based around Japan and it's traditions/culture. since in Japan the flowers have many connotations about life, and are very frequently found in Japanese media productions such as Anime, Manga, and Japanese movie and television production. The flowers are very deeply rooted in Japanese history, and were used as metaphors in a vast quantity of Japanese World War 2 propaganda, since the flowers have deep connotations about youth, life, and blooming in the sense of a person becoming better/maturing. The blue used in the other version of this design is used since it is linked to water, which has connotations of youthfulness, fluidity, freshness, freedom, and masculinity, and would probably be more popular with women who identify more with these ideas than those given by the colour pink, allowing sellers to appeal to a wider audience.

 

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