V&A Dundee: Kimono
Kyoto to Catwalk
Challenge
Following the success of Tartan, we were honoured to return as the creative lead for V&A Dundee for the second consecutive year, this time focusing on their new exhibition, Kyoto to Catwalk.
The exhibition explored the rich history and cultural significance of the kimono, shedding light on its profound impact on global fashion. While traditionally viewed as a timeless and unchanging garment, the exhibition aimed to shift this perception by presenting the kimono as a dynamic, evolving fashion icon, showcasing its transformative influence over the years.
Approach
Our primary objective for the campaign was to authentically tell the story of the kimono, highlighting its cultural significance and lasting effect on fashion worldwide. We sought to demonstrate how this iconic garment has inspired trends and shaped styles globally. Adopting a digital-first approach, we aimed to create an engaging and immersive experience bringing the kimono’s history to life.
Through a combination of striking visuals, interactive content, and compelling storytelling, the campaign invited audiences to emotionally connect with the kimono’s beauty and heritage. By blending traditional elements with a modern sensibility, the campaign reached a global audience, reigniting appreciation for the kimono’s lasting influence in the fashion world.
Exhibtion
With the visual identity in place, the next step was to bring it to life across every public-facing touchpoint at the museum. From wayfinding and signage to banners, merchandise, digital screens and exhibition graphics, each element was designed to feel connected, creating a consistent and memorable experience from the moment visitors arrived.
Campaign
The campaign’s visual approach was carefully crafted to balance modern appeal with a strong foundation in high-end fashion.
To ensure authenticity, we enlisted renowned kimono expert Mamiko Sato from Kimono de Go to oversee styling. Additionally, Japanese calligraphy artist Tomoko Rowell was brought on to create the script used throughout the campaign’s design elements, including printed materials and projections in the main film, seamlessly blending tradition with modern design.
Photography was central to shaping the campaign’s visual world. We collaborated with the talented Laura Prieto Martin, whose expertise in 35mm and medium-format film brought our vision to life. The natural grain and texture of film gave each image a sense of depth, character, and authenticity, creating a rich, organic, and timeless feel that runs throughout the campaign.
For the campaign film, we reunited with our long-standing collaborators at Flux Video to bring the campaign to life in motion. Together, we embarked on an ambitious five-day production spanning three cities, capturing a diverse range of locations, perspectives, and moments along the way. The scale of the shoot allowed us to build a richer visual narrative, one that felt dynamic, immersive, and true to the energy of the campaign.
The project moved seamlessly between striking indoor and outdoor settings, including the breathtaking Cowden Japanese Gardens in Dollar. Their calm, natural beauty created a powerful contrast with the bold brutalist architecture of V&A Dundee, resulting in a visually dynamic final edit.
Behind the three-day shoot was an incredible team, including makeup artist Kayla Williams, hairdresser Fraser Wallace, kimono stylist Mamiko, and supporting creatives Stuart Edwards and Erin Bradley-Scott, all working with the amazing model Sally. Despite the long days and inevitable challenges, we stayed positive, supported one another, and pulled together as a team to bring the vision to life.
Socials
We created a series of social media graphics that brought together traditional Japanese influences and a contemporary visual language.
We worked with Tiernan Crilley to create custom motion transitions, inspired by ink dispersing through water, gave the assets a fluid and expressive quality, creating a sense of movement that felt both organic and modern while reflecting the exhibition’s balance of heritage, craft, and reinvention.
Results
The results speak for themselves, with the campaign exceeding targets for both footfall and income by more than 20%. On top of this, the creative was so loved by its target audiences it generated record levels of engagement across all channels, particularly Meta.
We were delighted that this campaign went onto win a Silver award at the Scottish Design Awards in the Craft category, a true testament of the hard work and talent of the full team.
