This jacket, with its long sleeves and white collar band (han-eri), resembles a Japanese juban underrobe, and its cut and form and the placement of design elements further emphasize the influence of kimono. The upper section features a chrysanthemum pattern, while the lower part is printed with a design imitating a family crest representing the cross-section of a gourd known as shihō mokkō in Japanese. Traditionally, such crests are only used in formal decorations, but here they are employed in a manner unfettered by convention.
From 1994 to 2004 Ford was creative director at Gucci, reestablishing the Italian high-class leather brand as a luxury trendsetter. Ford specializes in minimal, sensual designs and has found a strong affinity with Japanese motifs.
(Translated by the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco for “Kimono Refashioned: Japan's Impact on International Fashion”, 2018.)