LONDON: A large-scale exhibition featuring Japanese kimono will open Saturday at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, introducing the history of the Japanese traditional costume and its impacts on the modern fashion around the world.

The exhibition, dubbed "Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk," is the first of its kind to be held on such a large scale in Europe. It will run through June 21.

A media preview of the exhibition was held on Wednesday.

Visitors will be able to see a kimono worn by Freddie Mercury, late iconic lead singer of the British rock band Queen, a costume of U.S. popstar Madonna's that looks like kimono and kimono-inspired robes for Obi-Wan Kenobi in the U.S. popular movie series Star Wars.

The exhibition will trace the history of kimono in Japan from the 17th century until now and introduce how it spread to the Western countries through the Dutch East India Company.

There will be a section explaining that the influence of kimono was behind the transition of women's clothing styles in the Western countries, from tight clothes worn with corsets to outfits covering the body loosely in the beginning of the 20th century.

Also to be exhibited are some of the latest fashion designs that were inspired by kimono.

Noting that Japanese traditional clothes are timeless and interesting, a curator at the museum said visitors will be able to see how kimono has had constant influence on the world's fashion.

JIJI Press