London's V&A explores story of the Japanese kimono through the ages

Beautiful clothes, including a robe worn by British musician Freddie Mercury and a Jean Paul Gaultier creation worn by Madonna, have been inspired by the Japanese kimono through the ages and now the national dress of Japan is being celebrated in all its forms at an exhibition in London.

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, explores the garment's history and traditions and also looks at how it shaped global fashion, society, and popular culture.

The exhibition, which runs from Saturday until June 21, claims to be Europe's first major show about the kimono and boasts rare 17th and 18th century gowns being displayed in the United Kingdom for the first time.

Starting in Kyoto, the home of the kimono, the exhibition looks back at the garment's history and how it flourished throughout Japan. And visitors get the chance to discover how the garment went global when kimonos were exported to Europe in the mid-17th century.

Items on display include kimonos made to export to the Netherlands, and kimonos tailored from French brocade.

Anna Jackson, curator of the exhibition, said: "The cross-cultural story is quite interesting, the kimono was taken to Europe by the Dutch who traded with Japan and that immediately inspired people there."

Jackson said much of the variation between kimonos happens on the surface of the fabric.

"When people look at a kimono, because the basic shape hasn't changed, they tend to think of them as being unchanging and timeless, so we're trying to show that the fashion has changed," Jackson said. "The way you decorate the surface has changed …in the earlier kimonos there were witty references to poetry or to do with the seasons. In the 1920s, you see ones that reflect the modern world, to more abstract designs or designs inspired by art nouveau or art deco. And here in the contemporary world, new designers are exploring the kimono again."

The final section of the exhibition shows how the kimono has continued to inspire fashion designers around the world and have an impact on iconic film and performance costumes. There will also be a focus on the work of the latest generation of Japanese kimono designers.

The display includes the original Star Wars costume worn by the character Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as designs by Yves Saint Laurent, Rei Kawakubo, and John Galliano.