Jenny Hall | University of Melbourne (original) (raw)

Videos by Jenny Hall

Nostalgia is a longing for a different time, a past that has been reimagined as being better than... more Nostalgia is a longing for a different time, a past that has been reimagined as being better than the present. For the past 20 years in Japan there has been a steady increase in nostalgia tourism, spurred by economic and political uncertainty. One such form of Japanese nostalgia tourism aimed at women is kimono taiken, the activity of dressing up in kimono for a specified time period while sightseeing. The coronavirus has caused a trend towards nostalgia-assuaging activities as coping mechanisms, but travel restrictions have curtailed these activities. In 2020 Kyoto textile brand Sou Sou announced a collaboration with Nintendo to make in-game items of kyo-yukata (a Kyoto summer kimono) and accessories available in the video game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. This presentation discusses the activity of kimono taiken and how it is being met in online, as well as offline, spaces in order to fulfil individuals’ exacerbated feelings of nostalgia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Books by Jenny Hall

Kardashians: A critical anthology, 2024

Kim Kardashian launched a new underwear brand in 2019. What followed was a media storm about the ... more Kim Kardashian launched a new underwear brand in 2019. What followed was a media storm about the name – Kimono. Public outrage focused on the concept of cultural appropriation, in particular the appropriation and trademarking of a Japanese national symbol. In Japan, the word “kimono” has come to represent an outer robe worn for formal occasions. It symbolises high culture and is used as a form of cultural capital, explicitly worn to be seen. Through analysis of this key example, and by exploring definitions of cultural appropriation and “kimono”, this chapter highlights complexities often not present in other cases of cultural appropriation. Kardashian claimed she was not planning to create kimono-like robes or garments, she merely wanted to use the word for her brand. In this respect, because she is not copying the garment it could be argued that it is not cultural appropriation. However, “kimono” is symbolic of the garment: it is the robe. Therefore, the attempt by an international influencer to trademark the word “kimono” is problematic because it dissociates the word from its cultural and historical roots and, in doing so, has the potential to erase aspects of Japanese tradition, cultural heritage and identity.

Asian Sound Cultures, 2023

This chapter focuses on the ways in which technological change, in particular digitisation, has a... more This chapter focuses on the ways in which technological change, in particular digitisation, has altered the sonic environment of the Kyoto kimono-making industry. It examines two main kimono-making techniques, Nishijin orimono (weaving) and kyo-yūzen (paste-resist dyeing) to describe the changes in this soundscape. In contemporary Kyoto, it is possible to draw comparisons between traditional and digitised soundscapes of weaving and paste-resist dyeing techniques because the traditional and technologically advanced methods operate side-by-side. These examples show that the sonic environment is a significant factor in constructions of identity and community.

The Japanese kimono has had a strong stylistic influence on international designers in recent dec... more The Japanese kimono has had a strong stylistic influence on international designers in recent decades, while at the same time been lamented as in decline in its country of origin. However, Jenny Hall argues that young Japanese designers are reviving the kimono and other forms of traditional Japanese dress, or wafuku, through the use of traditional techniques and aesthetics. Hall uses sensory analysis of the Kyoto textile industry to investigate the reasons why various kimono-making techniques endure or not. Hall describes the industry from the perspective of young producers and consumers of Japanese fashion, revealing how they are using both traditional and technologically advanced techniques to create kimono and contemporary versions of kimono. Through case studies of Kyoto companies, Hall demonstrates how these companies are supporting the succession of age-old skills, marketing their products in innovative ways and connecting with consumers through social media. Interviews with designers, artisans, retailers and consumers, gives a unique insight into the world of Kyoto fashion, enabling Hall to successfully challenge the pervading view that the kimono, as an example of quintessential Japanese traditional garb, is in decline.

Papers by Jenny Hall

Japanese Studies, 2023

This special issue of Japanese Studies provides a snapshot of the teaching and researching of Jap... more This special issue of Japanese Studies provides a snapshot of the teaching and researching of Japan through the initial years of the pandemic. It records experiences and reflections by scholars of Japan in South Korea, Australia, England, and Kazakhstan grappling with the challenges and potential of online learning and digital resources in the context of academic precarity and global uncertainty. The articles reflect on pedagogy, research methods, interdisciplinary focus, and the intersections of premodern, modern, and contemporary Japan with global politics, society, health, environment, and culture. They identify key challenges facing Japanese Studies, especially the corporatisation of institutions and the undervaluing of language and contextual studies, and consider how the lessons of the pandemic can lead to a transformation of Japanese Studies that strengthens its relevance and possibilities both in and outside the academy.

Japanese Studies, 2023

Fieldwork is about ‘being there’ in the field to gather data. But what happens when researchers c... more Fieldwork is about ‘being there’ in the field to gather data. But what happens when researchers cannot visit the field? This article explores how Japan scholars are dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on their research. It examines how restrictions on travel affect access to materials and engagement with fieldwork subjects, highlighting how the current pandemic has created both obstructions and opportunities. The term ‘fieldwork’ usually involves ethnographic methods of data collection such as participant observation and interviews, but a wider interpretation encompasses visiting archives, libraries and museums. This article takes an inclusive definition of fieldwork to discover the impact of not ‘being there’ for scholars of Japan. Findings show that the inability to ‘be there’ has led more scholars to seek out material from online data repositories, archives and library collections. However, while the demand for online resources is increasing, materials are not always easily accessible to Japan scholars. The impact of travel restrictions on librarians has in turn affected the aggregation of materials, which has occasioned scholars to seek alternative methods of sourcing materials. Finally, through a case study, this article examines the methods scholars are adopting in digital ethnographic data collection to adjust to not ‘being there’.

TAASA Review, 2018

How do contemporary kimono designers negotiate notions of authenticity and tradition? For those e... more How do contemporary kimono designers negotiate notions of authenticity and tradition? For those employing traditional production methods it is easier to sustain an image of authenticity but for those that use technologically advanced methods such as computer-aided design and digital printing this is more of a challenge. This paper argues that designers and artisans negotiate these issues three ways: by adhering to design conventions, through claims of artistic legacy, and through the framing of the concept of tradition in Japan.

Fashion Theory, 2018

Fashion in the 21st century is typically fast fashion, characterised by mass production, high tur... more Fashion in the 21st century is typically fast fashion, characterised by mass production, high turnover, and goods designed for a short lifespan. The kimono appears to be the antithesis of fast fashion in terms of production and consumption. A kimono takes time to create and usually has a long lifespan. However, in the current global fashion market there has been a growing trend towards slow fashion, which involves longer production times, use of local materials, and a focus on quality and sustainability. Elements within the Japanese fashion industry exhibit this trend but the reality is more complex than simply complying with a set of slow fashion criteria. An examination of the Kyoto kimono making industry demonstrates a simultaneous speeding up and slowing down of various aspects of Japanese clothing. Rigorous scrutiny reveals the difficulty of categorizing production techniques as either fast or slow fashion. In addition, alternative ways of consuming kimono, that align with slow fashion characteristics, demonstrate that they can change the way consumers view purchases.

New Voices 7, Jun 20, 2015

Kimono are not considered suitable for contemporary life in Japan—it is difficult to even ride a ... more Kimono are not considered suitable for contemporary life in Japan—it is difficult to even ride a bicycle while wearing a kimono. Because of this there is a pervading view that the Japanese traditional textile industry is in decline. However, Japanese designers and consumers are redefining Japanese clothing while retaining its "traditional" image. This project investigates how the reinvention of Japanese clothing embodies the process by which tradition and modernity interact with each other and helps us understand how these new designs represent a vehicle for designers’ and consumers’ expressions of Japanese culture.

Book reviews by Jenny Hall

Japanese Studies, 2023

Julie Valk’s monograph, Selling the Kimono: An Ethnography of Crisis, Creatvity and Hope, aims to... more Julie Valk’s monograph, Selling the Kimono: An Ethnography of Crisis, Creatvity and Hope, aims to address an apparent paradox – that the kimono industry is both in crisis and thriving. Valk tackles this by contextualising the the garment and its attendant practices and meanings through ethnographic fieldwork with creators, sellers and consumers of kimono. This paradox is certainly not a new discovery (see Assman, 2008; Cliffe, 2017; Okazaki, 2015), but the focus and subject matter of Valk’s book is original. By taking an economic anthropological approach, and by focussing on the idea that crisis often instigates change and highlights resilience, Valk gives a new insight into how the industry is evolving. Her research focussed on lesser-known regions and retailers in particular to demonstrate that the culture of kimono-wearing is undergoing a shift away from kimono as ‘luxury item’ to a more casual ‘kimono laifu’ (‘kimono life’) (128).

Conference Presentations by Jenny Hall

Writing this from a Melbourne in its fourth lockdown within just over a year sums up the current ... more Writing this from a Melbourne in its fourth lockdown within just over a year sums up the current state of play in terms of academic research for many Japan scholars. Whether archival, library-based, in-situ fieldwork or online, accessibility has become an even more vital factor in conducting research on Japan to address the issue of travel restrictions and an inability to ‘be there’. Last year I turned to researching the researchers in order to understand just how the pandemic is affecting Japan scholars' research projects. I interviewed librarians and academics, examined digital archives and attended online conferences and symposiums about conducting research online to find out what is possible and what scholars are doing. As might be expected, I found a mixed response and some innovative ideas as we all 'pivot' to our new working conditions. This presentation will explore how lack of mobility has affected researchers, and the sustainability of research in a pandemic, in terms of some of those responses.

When Kim Kardashian launched her new underwear brand in 2019 there was a media storm about the na... more When Kim Kardashian launched her new underwear brand in 2019 there was a media storm about the name – Kimono. The public outrage centred on the concept of the cultural appropriation of a Japanese national symbol. Opposition to the trademark name was so strong that it eventuated in the mayor of Kyoto, Daisaku Kadokawa, writing a letter asking her to reconsider. Kardashian eventually abandoned the plan and relaunched her brand later that year under a different trademark. ‘Kimono’, meaning ‘thing to wear’, has come to represent the outer robe worn for formal occasions in Japan. Not only is a kimono not underwear, it is an outer garment that has come to stand for formality and high culture. It follows strict rules of etiquette. In contrast to underwear, which is hidden and usually unseen, a kimono is explicitly worn to be seen. In addition, in terms of the female shape, although both the kimono and shapewear are worn to mould the body, the shapes and values they promote are very different. This presentation examines the meanings behind the term kimono and its relationship to Japanese people to explain the significance of Kardashian’s attempted branding. In exploring the kimono and its role as a symbol of culture and nationalism for Japan, and comparing it to Kardashian’s underwear brand, it is easy to denounce her idea as a poor marketing ploy. However, the real issue is that by trademarking a word, one individual – who in this case is often perceived as illegitimate and associated with lowbrow culture yet wields worldwide influence – could potentially alter or erase thousands of years of cultural heritage and tradition.
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A growing number of consumers want more information about the environmental and human costs invol... more A growing number of consumers want more information about the environmental and human costs involved in the production of their clothing. The human costs associated with garment manufacturing include health issues of textile workers and one aspect that has been a focus for researchers is hearing loss. This presentation will focus on the ways in which technological change, in particular digitisation, is altering the sonic environment of the Kyoto kimono-making industry. I will examine two main kimono-making techniques, Nishijin orimono (weaving) and kyo-yūzen (paste-resist dyeing) to describe the changes in the manufacturing soundscape. In Kyoto, the weaving industry generally is in decline and there is a significant impact on the soundscape as the looms, and thus the weaving district, gradually falls silent. Kyo-yūzen, however, is undergoing a revival and technological innovations are creating a new sensory environment that is acceptable to younger designers – a digital yūzen studio is very similar to a contemporary office environment, including sounds such as an inkjet printer. In contrast to kyo-yūzen, the sonic environment of Nishijin orimono is becoming less familiar and less acceptable to weavers. This is important because the textile production soundscape is a significant factor in the working conditions of employees.

Fashion in the 21st century is typically fast fashion, characterised by mass production, high tur... more Fashion in the 21st century is typically fast fashion, characterised by mass production, high turnover, and goods designed for a short lifespan. The kimono appears to be the antithesis of fast fashion in terms of production and consumption. A kimono takes time to create and usually has a long lifespan. In addition, for the consumer, it takes time to put on and restricts bodily actions, enforcing slower movements. However, in the current global fashion market there has been a growing trend towards ‘slow fashion’ in which clothing involves longer production times, use of local materials, and a focus on quality and sustainability. Elements within the Japanese fashion industry demonstrate this trend but the reality is more complex than simply complying to a set of ‘slow fashion’ criteria. An examination of the Kyoto textile industry demonstrates a simultaneous speeding up and slowing down of various aspects of Japanese clothing. This in turn is changing the way producers and consumers view fashion. Just as ‘slow food’ provides a new sensory focus for the experience of food, fashion includes multiple sensorial qualities, and if these qualities become the focus of design and production, clothing has the capacity to provide a multisensory experience for the wearer that takes it beyond the visual. An experience of clothing that includes the ‘senses of proximity’—smell, touch and taste—allows consumers to form memories, emotional attachments and stories regarding their attire that in turn has the potential to make garments more valued and appreciated.

Since the Meiji era, internationalisation has resulted in a sense of nostalgia for the past and t... more Since the Meiji era, internationalisation has resulted in a sense of nostalgia for the past and tradition in Japan. An example of this is symbolized by the kimono as the national dress. The postwar period saw a tightening of the sartorial rules regarding the etiquette of wearing kimono to the point where today few women feel confident about donning it. Japan’s continuing economic troubles have again sparked a sense of nationalism and nostalgia for the past. The rising popularity of kanko taiken (personal experience tourism) is evidence of this preoccupation, with kimono taiken increasingly forming a part of the Kyoto sightseeing experience. The concept of ‘cosplay’ (costume play, usually associated with Japanese consumer practices related to animation and manga) allows us to better understand kimono taiken along with another form of taiken: maiko henshin (transformation into an apprentice geisha). The key concepts of cosplay—temporary transformation, performativity and asobi (play)—allow participants of kimono taiken to join an imagined community at a national level. Cosplay blurs the lines between traditional yet this-worldly and playful garments, but recently some kimono stylists have also been blurring these lines with innovative decorative compositions and new ways of wearing kimono. These sartorial deviations, in turn, result in the wearer experiencing newly negotiated forms of traditional culture and identity.

The prevailing Euro-American image of kimono is that of the robe that constitutes Japanese nation... more The prevailing Euro-American image of kimono is that of the robe that constitutes Japanese national dress. This version of kimono has also been Japan’s idealized representation of kimono to the world since the Meiji period, epitomized by practitioners of tea ceremony and flower arrangement, as well as by geisha and courtesans of the entertainment districts. But, what of alternative kimono cultures that span these categories or fail to fit them? Cosplay (costume play, usually associated with Japanese consumer practices related to animation and manga), a prevalent form of self-expression in shōjo culture, includes such deviant forms of kimono, whereby the kimono worn by participants playing an animation or manga character, or the context in which the kimono is worn, do not adhere to the idealized forms. For cosplay, the design, shape and mode of wearing might go against normal kimono wearing rules in order for the anime or manga characters to project and perform their identities more readily. In addition, in the ‘real world’ (rather than the fictional world of anime and manga), in the past decade two alternative forms of kimono practice have also become popular among young Japanese women: kimono taiken (kimono experience) and maiko henshin (transformation into an apprentice geisha). The concept of cosplay allows us to better understand these forms. The key concepts of cosplay—temporary transformation, performativity and asobi (play)—create a site for participants of kimono taiken whereby they join an imagined community at a national level that lies outside the idealised version.

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Kardashians: A critical anthology, 2024

Asian Sound Cultures, 2023

Japanese Studies, 2023

TAASA Review, 2018

Fashion Theory, 2018

New Voices 7, Jun 20, 2015

Japanese Studies, 2023

Fashion in the 21st century is typically fast fashion, characterised by mass production, high tur... more Fashion in the 21st century is typically fast fashion, characterised by mass production, high turnover, and goods designed for a short lifespan. The kimono appears to be the antithesis of fast fashion in terms of production and consumption. A kimono takes time to create and usually has a long lifespan. In addition, for the consumer, it takes time to put on and restricts bodily actions, enforcing slower movements. However, in the current global fashion market there has been a growing trend towards ‘slow fashion’ in which clothing involves longer production times, use of local materials, and a focus on quality and sustainability. Elements within the Japanese fashion industry demonstrate this trend but the reality is more complex than simply complying to a set of ‘slow fashion’ criteria. An examination of the Kyoto textile industry demonstrates a simultaneous speeding up and slowing down of various aspects of Japanese clothing. This in turn is changing the way producers and consumers view fashion. Just as ‘slow food’ provides a new sensory focus for the experience of food, fashion includes multiple sensorial qualities, and if these qualities become the focus of design and production, clothing has the capacity to provide a multisensory experience for the wearer that takes it beyond the visual. An experience of clothing that includes the ‘senses of proximity’—smell, touch and taste—allows consumers to form memories, emotional attachments and stories regarding their attire that in turn has the potential to make garments more valued and appreciated.

Place is one way of defining authenticity. From local to national, place has been an important el... more Place is one way of defining authenticity. From local to national, place has been an important element in legitimising the authenticity of goods. This is particularly true of Japan where there is big business in the local specialties sought after for omiyage (souvenirs) by domestic tourists. From a manufacturing perspective, both production techniques and the creation of specialty goods are also a source of local pride and identity. The production systems themselves, however, often extend beyond national borders, calling into question the traditional relationship between place and authenticity. This paper explores this blurring of boundaries using the example of the weaving industry in Nishijin, Kyoto. Kyoto has been a focus of textile production since the 8th century and is still seen as the 'authentic' source of textile production expertise and knowledge in Japan. The prefix 'Kyô' before the name of production techniques, such as Kyô-kanoko shibori (tie-dyed textiles) or Kyô-yûzen (paste-resist dyed textiles) refers to Kyoto, and reinforces this location's primacy in the artistic tradition. Kyoto's woven obi (kimono sashes) are branded with an even narrower local moniker. Nishijin, in northwest Kyoto, has been the weaving district since the end of the Onin Civil War in 1477 and still produces what are known as Nishijin obi. Each Nishijin obi comes with a mark of authenticity designated by the Nishijin Textile Industrial Association (Nishijin Ori Kôgyô Kumiai) identifying it with the district. Therefore place is integral to the identity of the woven obi. How then, do we reconcile the fact that 50% of Nishijin obi are not made in Kyoto city and a further 10% are not made in Japan at all? This paper describes the increasing trend of outsourcing in Kyoto textile production and how globalisation is challenging ideas of place and authenticity.

Kyoto people have an expression, 'kidaore'. If you kidaore, you dress to destruction: you spend a... more Kyoto people have an expression, 'kidaore'. If you kidaore, you dress to destruction: you spend all of your money on clothing and fashion. How we dress and represent ourselves is integral to our cultural identity but dress is more than merely a visual representation of self. A sensory approach to dress and textiles reveals that not only do they embody memory and knowledge of cultural practices, but can also convey traditional morals, expectations and roles. The concept of kidaore highlights the importance of dress and textiles for Kyoto people; Kyoto is considered by Japanese to be the cultural heart of Japan, thereby illustrating the wider significance of the textile and fashion industry. Fashion throughout much of Japanese history has provided a codified communication of status, class and rank, but it has also been shown to mould and refine the body within. In the 21st century, Kyoto designers continue to link the present with the past by using traditional designs and manufacturing methods. By combining contemporary functionality with these long-established designs and technologies, they produce the latest cutting-edge fashions. This paper will examine three contemporary Kyoto fashion labels—Pagong, Sou Sou and Kyoto Denim—to consider how their designs, informed by the embodied practices of the past, act as a self-conscious vehicle for the expression of Japanese culture, communicating both traditional and renegotiated meanings.

Being Human Festival, 2024

A sense of place is created through one’s sensory experiences. Many textile factories and studios... more A sense of place is created through one’s sensory experiences. Many textile factories and studios in Japan are incorporated within homes, and therefore growing up surrounded by a trade or industry means that these conditions, including their associated sounds, form the basis of childhood memories. Whether these sounds are appreciated or not by their captive audience, they become symbolic of not only the production of textiles, but are also representative of the livelihood of families, and therefore the liveliness (or not) of the community. In Kyoto, the weaving industry generally is in decline and there is a significant impact on the soundscape as the looms, and thus the weaving district, gradually falls silent. As a result, the sonic environment of Nishijin orimono (weaving) is becoming less familiar and less acceptable to weavers. Kyo-yūzen (Kyoto-style dyeing) however, is undergoing a revival and technological innovations are creating a new sensory environment that is acceptable to younger designers – a digital yūzen studio is very similar to a contemporary office environment, including sounds such as an inkjet printer. This is important because the textile production soundscape plays a significant part in constructions of identity and community. This presentation will focus on the ways in which technological change is altering the sonic environment of the Kyoto kimono-making industry.

Since the Meiji era, Japanese craftsmanship has been used as a means to legitimize nationhood and... more Since the Meiji era, Japanese craftsmanship has been used as a means to legitimize nationhood and today craftsmanship forms a primary component of Japanese national heritage. Japanese crafts are characterized by traditional handmade products, small production runs, and (staged) visibility of artisans. Craft work such as textiles, pottery or wooden items are often presented as embodying ‘spiritual’ elements of the artisan, and are also portrayed as the antithesis to mass production. These elements, what Sugimoto has termed “handicraft ideology” (2015), are conveyed as part of the narrative of the "traditional artisan," in an emerging global craft community. The textile industry in Kyoto is a prime example whereby companies and artisans are using this handicraft ideology to participate in ‘transnational craftscapes’ (Kawlra 2015), to market their products and to perpetuate the narrative of the ‘traditional artisan’. Examining this handicraft ideology illuminates areas of knowledge production, transmission and practice of culture. Furthermore, it demonstrates the constructed nature of the frames of value and meaning embedded within the practices, and how these are used to achieve objectives such as identity, power, and authenticity in the field of heritage politics.

Kimono are not considered suitable for contemporary life in Japan—it is difficult to even ride a ... more Kimono are not considered suitable for contemporary life in Japan—it is difficult to even ride a bicycle while wearing a kimono. Because of this there is a pervading view that the Japanese traditional textile industry is in decline. However, Japanese designers and consumers are redefining Japanese clothing while retaining its ‘traditional’ image. This project investigates how the reinvention of Japanese clothing embodies the process by which tradition and modernity interact with each other and helps us understand how these new designs represent a vehicle for designers’ and consumers’ expressions of Japanese culture.

Group exhibition, Miss Libertine

Group exhibition, The Fitzroy Gallery

Solo photographic exhibition, Consulate-General of Japan