Seigaiha, the Wave Motif Inspiring Contemporary French Fashion
©Karen Arnold
Since the 1980s, Japanese designers have been considered as the avant-garde figures of the fashion world, running counter to all the diamante and sparkle. They offered garments which prioritised comfort and beautiful fabrics over the extravagance that was so characteristic of the time.
Many French fashion houses have been inspired by their fascination for Japanese cuts and culture, such as Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel. Ready-to-wear labels are now using Japanese fabrics, and particularly the ‘Seigaiha’ motif, which has become one of the most popular.
The Seigaiha wave is an ancestral Japanese motif which first appeared in the 6th century. Seigaiha literally means ‘blue sea and waves’. It was used to illustrate seas and oceans on maps. The water and waves also symbolise power and resistance, key elements of Japanese culture.
The waves are drawn as layered concentric circles which create arches and overlap. They can just as frequently be seen on fabrics as on illustrations and ceramics.
TRENDING
-
Shizuka Yokomizo, between Exhibitionism and Surveillance
'Dear Stranger' is the story of a troubling relationship between the photographer and the subject, who meet without seeing each other.
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
The Japanese Film that Inspired Stanley Kubrick's ‘A Clockwork Orange’
The American filmmaker borrowed the aesthetic of several scenes in the film ‘Funeral Parade of Roses’ by Toshio Matsumoto.
-
‘Shojo Tsubaki’, A Freakshow
Underground manga artist Suehiro Maruo’s infamous masterpiece canonised a historical fascination towards the erotic-grotesque genre.
-
Haruomi Hosono’s Music for 'Shoplifters', by Hirokazu Kore-eda
The director reflects on the ‘mature’ sound of Haruomi Hosono’s score and how it shaped his Palme d’Or-winning film.
