on show
this is the first major exhibition of propaganda fashion designed
and produced in japan, britain, and the united states during the
years of conflict in the asia-pacific war and world war II.
scheduled to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the end
of world war II, the exhibition provides a opportunity to consider
this under-recognized but visually exciting genre of wearable
propaganda, worthy of note today not only for its design value
but also as a reflection of the popular culture of the time.

approximately 130 works of art illustrate how civilian textile design
helped to promote wartime agendas in the three countries.
the material on view includes clothing and accessories,
textile samples, cartoons for textile designs, posters, and
photographs. the objects are drawn from public and private
collections throughout the united states and britain, and from
numerous private collections in japan.
many of the objects, especially the japanese, are unknown and
have never before been documented, exhibited, or photographed.

the exhibition textiles comprise clothing (kimono, nagajuban,
haori, obi, blouses, dresses, scarves, and so forth); yardage or
sample pieces; miscellaneous textiles such as handkerchiefs,
tablecloths, and furoshiki (wrapping cloths); and, for context,
examples of other items of the popular visual and material culture
of the time, including posters, toys, magazines, and fans.

who was wearing these patterns
interestingly, but not surprisingly, there are distinct cultural
differences between japan and the west in the use of
propaganda textiles. the american and british examples were
produced almost exclusively for women and were worn prominently
in public, as headscarves, blouses, and dresses.
in japan, most of the clothing incorporating textiles with propaganda
images was worn by men and young boys.
the propaganda textiles used for men’s garments appeared
predominantly in traditional clothing such as nagajuban
(long underkimono) or the linings of haori (jackets worn with kimono),
and thus were, for the most part, designs that would be hidden
from public view and thus seen only by people close to the wearer.
also striking is japan’s use of propaganda textiles in children’s clothing.
many of the pieces in the exhibition are kimono for young boys
and omiyamairi (shrine-visiting kimonos, comparable to
christening gowns) that include potent military imagery.

symbolism
the exhibition and its accompanying catalogue examines
twentieth-century printed textile designs as both a celebration
and a reflection of everyday life and culture, a discussion that
then segues into a review of the production of textiles with
wartime propaganda designs. ‘wearing propaganda’ also provides
an in-depth examination of the most prevalent themes and motifs
to be found in the propaganda textiles: modernity, empire, militarism,
patriotism, sacrifice, heroes and leaders, text (slogans, words, and
songs), alliances (allies and axis), and victory.
many of the textile designs have multiple motifs and so fit easily
into more than one of these categories:

modernity:
one of the chief themes in japanese propaganda textiles,
depicted primarily through war, empire, and modern technology

tradition:
in the form of cultural icons such as mount fuji and folk
heroes figures largely in the propaganda textiles of japan.
in the united states, traditional icons such as the constitution,
george washington, and the pledge of allegiance were more likely
to be used as propaganda ploys before the american entry into
world war II than after. in britain, few traditional images are to be
found in the textiles, although classic slogans were used,
such as “england expects that every man shall do his duty,”
admiral nelson’s battle motto at trafalgar.

empire:
the concept of empire is key to the social and wartime
histories of both japan and britain.

militarism:
military imagery is ubiquitous in the textile designs
in all three countries, yet it is handled in quite different ways.

patriotism:
to some degree all the propaganda designs may be
said to represent patriotism, as they were produced as part of
a larger patriotic response to the needs of nations at war.
the use of national symbols most closely allied to the concept
of patriotism, such as national flags, stand out in some of the designs.

wearing propaganda is curated by jacqueline m. atkins.