Kimono Exhibition at the V&A Dundee – part 2

Posted on 31 December 2024 by Katrina

Back to the V&A Dundee Kimono Exhibition and as you can see from the two photos below they also had some kimonos being shown on models so that you could see how they would have been worn back in the day.

You can see the roll of padding at the hemline which would have weighted the fabric down and make it hang better. Sadly it wasn’t possible to avoid reflections.

Kimonos were still popular in Japan in the 1930s, the kimono below from 1930 has a very modern design.

They are a lot gaudier than the traditional kimonos, the one in the middle below definitely has a Charles Rennie Mackintosh Glasgow Rose vibe about it.

In the 1930s things were getting more European in design. The small kimono for a young boy features an aeroplane which says kamikaze on it.

As you can see from the designs on the kimonos below dating from 1938 the Japanese had their minds firmly set on getting ready for war with warships and aeroplanes popular motifs on kimonos.

There might be a part three to this Kimono Exhibition as I took quite a few photos of the contemporary kimonos which have been designed by well known fashion designers more recently. But that’s enough for now.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Hunterian, Glasgow

Posted on 16 October 2024 by Katrina

I’m just finishing off my Charles Rennie Mackintosh Humnterian posts with some random photos that I took. Below is very typical of his designs, a stained glass stylised rose.

The Hunterian even has what was the hallway of Charles and Margaret’s home in Glasgow, rebuilt but with the original furnishings.

The metal plaque below was designed by Margaret I think, she had a penchant for what some people described as ‘spooky’ figures.

I love the door below with its inset stylised glass hearts.

The cheval mirror below is in what was their bedroom, I made sure that my reflection wasn’t in the photo but in retrospect it might have made more sense than the reflection of a door which you can see. I love the design and all the wee drawers but I know that if I had it I would have to search in several of them before I found whatever I was looking for!

Anyway, if you’re a fan of C.R. Mackintosh then you will really enjoy a visit to The Hunterian in Glasgow.

The Hunterian, Glasgow – Charles Rennie Mackintosh – his dark furniture

Posted on 8 October 2024 by Katrina

We’re back at The Hunterian in Glasgow again, with the photos I took of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s dark furniture.

It’s easier to see the slightly Japanese influence in these designs I think.

I’m not sure whether I prefer his white or black furniture, but I think that the white for bedrooms is prettier – and it won’t show up the dust as much!

Anyway, if you happen to be in Glasgow and you admire Charles Rennie Mackintosh you should definitely make time to visit The Hunterian, which also has a lot of art on show, but that’s another blogpost I think.

Metro and Railway Stations, Nevsky Prospect, St Petersburg, Russia

Posted on 11 July 2019 by Katrina

Donkey’s years ago I saw a programme on tv about the wonderful interiors of the railway stations in what was then the USSR, so when I realised that the building below was a metro station I had to go in for a look, no doubt getting in the way of the all the genuine travellers.

I was aware that the metro workers (I think) in the photo below were looking at us strangely, but reckoned that they couldn’t arrest us for taking photos of the decor – and nothing was said, they definitely thought we were weird foreigners though!

You could expect to see lights like those below in ballrooms rather than a railway station. They are in what is called the Moskovsky Station. (You catch mainline trains to Moscow from there.) I was thinking that I was so glad that when Communism got the upper hand they didn’t think to sweep away all the glories of Imperial Russian decor.

But if you have a closer look at the frieze below you’ll see that this must have been done under that regime as the clothes are fairly modern looking.

It’s only now that I see that what I assumed would be a no smoking sign actually seems to be a no hearts sign – bizarre. Don’t kiss anyone, whatever you do!

Then back out through the doors onto Nevsky Prospekt and the sunshine again.

I must say that all of the Russian people that we cmae into contact with were lovely and friendly.

Glasgow Cathedral’s stained glass windows

Posted on 15 March 2019 by Katrina

Despite the fact that apparently a lot of the Victorian stained glass didn’t last long there are still plenty of lovely windows in Glasgow Cathedral.

I adore colour and particularly coloured glass. I’ve never seen the attraction of flashy diamonds. I’d always be happier with a beautiful coloured gemstone, even if it was only glass. So long as it was set in a metal which wouldn’t turn my finger green.

These stained glass windows were originally designed so that those medieval Christians who couldn’t read would still be able to recognise the stories from the bible that the windows depict.

You could study some of the windows for hours I’m sure and probably still find something in them that you hadn’t seen the first time you looked at them. Going to a church service must have been quite an entertainment and of course most people probably didn’t have any glass at all in their own houses.

Sadly the photo that I took of the Millenium window which is in shades of blue and purple didn’t come out well, but you can see some images of it here.
I think the colours are sumptuous, but those blue/purple shades are some of my favourites. Can you believe that there are people in this world that hate purple? Bizarre, and I’ve never felt that it’s a colour that I shouldn’t be wearing, no matter what my age might be.

The Willow Tearooms, Glasgow

Posted on 11 March 2019 by Katrina

A couple of weeks ago we had to go over to the west of Scotland – all of about 75 miles from us here in the east. We were picking up a table we had bought on Gumtree, but before doing that we had a look at the cathedral – can you believe we had never visited Glasgow Cathedral before? I’ll blog about that visit soon. I’m a bit pushed for time tonight and it’s nearly my bedtime so I give you – The Willow Tearooms in Buchanan Street, Glasgow. While we were waiting for our coffee and cream/jam scones to arrive (we made them Cornish style of course) I took a few photos. Luckily by this time it was getting on for 5 pm so there weren’t many others partaking of a stylish rest and snack.

You have to walk through a gift shop to get into the lower tearoom (which is still upstairs, just not as high up as the other one) and the demi lune chair below is situated there. The woman on the till offered to take a photo of us both on the chair, but that would have hidden the whole shape of it so we politely declined.

The upper room is called The Chinese Tearoom, but whenever we go there it’s almost always closed already, maybe we should get there earlier. The loos are up that way though so we were able to take photos of the very different style. I love that vibrant colour.

The chair below stands on a mezzanine landing.

The alcove below shows some of the things available to buy.

If you want to see some photos from a previous visit have a look at this blogpost that Jack wrote a few years ago.

Pining for the West

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Category Archives: Design