Kimono Obsession

On a summer day in August, a breeze blows through the Mews and in through the open door of our shop. It gently shakes the driftwood that we have rigged as a hanging display system. As the pieces of beach wood sway, so do the attached kimonos. These are our favorite summer days in the shop — ones rich in gentle breezes and fluttering kimonos.

If you've been to the shop in the past couple months, you've probably noticed the bright splashes of purples, blues and reds and the hand-dyed kimonos lining one of our three walls. You might be inclined to think we have a vintage kimono obsession, and you wouldn't be wrong.

People often ask why we carry kimonos. For Francine Moo-Young, the collector and curator, that's one of the easiest questions to answer. She's inspired by the cut, the colors, the patterns and the history of the garment. "When I see a kimono I like, my mind floods with ideas. Some times those ideas are so abstract it's hard to see the path to where it leads. The ideas come to me like a cluster spreading out in all different directions." 

Come visit us at the Concept Shop to see, feel and try on our selection of vintage kimonos.