As you can learn from reading a little about the Dawnamatrix bio or looking across these pages at our latex kimonos, Japanese culture plays a very big part in what we do. Here is just one blog from our past talking about a trip to and connection with the land of the rising sun: Norman Reedus Follows Dawnamatrix To Japan – Dawnamatrix.
Let’s just say we have been there aplenty and even made Japan our home for a while.
So, when we read this article: Inside the Sumptuous ‘Shōgun’ Costumes That Tell a Rich Story All Their Own (msn.com), even though there is no latex really mentioned, we had to weigh in with our thoughts.
Shōgun, takes place in feudal Japan in 1600 and Carlos Rosario is the costume designer on the new series. Rosario and his 125-person team as much studied paintings from the era, as works with historians specializing in the Sengoku period to bring James Clavell’s 1975 novel to life. (If you are old enough or like streaming older TV shows, you might know that there was a previous miniseries stab at this material made for broadcast television back in 1980 starring Richard Chamberlain).
And since many of the characters of the piece are based on real people, historical documents and museum pieces were also studied by the costume crew for historical reference to assure period accuracy.
Layers of trad, cloth worn at the time, silk brocades, and so much of a wide variety of textiles are employed to dress this show. Costumers also rented pieces of traditional Japanese wear to study how the garments were made, with embroidery, appliqués and weaving done by Rosario’s crew, by hand, for so many of the pieces.
Yes, it is painstaking detailed work.
Thousands of garments were made for Shōgun and seeing them in all their cinematic glory is quite stunning.
Hat’s off to Carlos Rosario and his crew.
