Tale of Royal and Imperial Costumes

This event takes place in-person in the Headley Lecture Theatre and online via Zoom.

Booking is essential. £8 in person and online.

Her Imperial Highness, Dr Princess Akiko of Mikasa, is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and holds a DPhil in Japanese art history from Oxford University. Her talk will focus on connections between the Japanese Imperial family and the British Royal Family and will explore developments in Imperial costumes from the late 19th century to the current day.

As Japan became a major international power in the late 1900s, its Imperial family, as symbols of the modern nation of Japan, adopted the dress styles of the European monarchy. From wedding and funeral attire to state banquets and the matter of hats, Princess Akiko will give an insider’s insight into how Imperial dress codes have continued to change ever since.