A Design Supporting System for Kimono Pattern Preservation

Kimono is a key point in Japanese culture. In the kimono market, one type of kimono was called Yukata. Yukata is always produced in mass production in considering price. In order to promote prestigious kimonos, kimono stores usually present new styles or customer-tailored designs in response to different seasons. Of the varied kimonos, it is possible to let customers choose the style they prefer. From this point of view, this study tries to explore the behavior of the customers who get involved in the design process of a kimono where they participate and endeavor to create and even to promote their individual appreciation and value. This study collected many cases consisting of different kimono patterns and tried to analyze and induce the grammar of kimono patterns. Then, based on this grammar, a design system of kimono pattern can be built. Customers use this design system to input their likes such as floriography and various flowers. This system provides information concerning visualized patterns such as pattern elements (color, alignment, and etc.). Finally, the pattern elements generated by the customer’s likes are incorporated into the kimono grammar. In other words, the grammar of kimono pattern is constructed and refined on the basis of the results of this design system. The refined grammar can be used to analyze the existing kimono patterns as well. Through the continuing refinement and analysis of the kimono grammar, we could trace back the history of a kimono by its pattern, and by use of the cycling work people are able to preserve one of the cultural assets - the kimono pattern, its design knowledge and Japanese cultural heritage.