"This book consists of items of clothing selected from the extensive collections at the Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI). Since its inception in 1978, the KCI has held exhibitions around the world as a way of organizing research on Western fashion. The exhibitions and the catalogues that have accompanied them have met with acclaim from international audiences and by cutting-edge designers from all over the world. Part of the recognition the KCI has received stems from its policy of displaying articles of clothing in a manner that is both academically accurate and true to life. In other words, the KCI presents clothing not just as historical artifacts, but also as vital elements of fashion. The exhibitions capture the elegance and charm that the clothing had in its day, as though simply having been "awakened" after a long "sleep." The KCI hopes that this publication, which covers selected historical clothing and fashion accessories from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, will enable an ever-wider audience to appreciate the wonder and pleasure of fashion."--Foreword, page 6