Hidden Gems: Archives in Japan | CSA Mid-Atlantic Region Webinar | Costume Society of America

Independent researcher Ayaka Sano Iida introduces a selection of Japanese museums, educational institutions, and private companies that actively collect fashion-related objects. Based on her experience conducting research on Japanese history, both in and outside of Japan, Iida will discuss the potential of utilizing these archives and the objects that they hold—from kabuki costumes to haute couture collections. Considering the linguistic and cultural barriers of researching non-Western and non-English subjects, as well as the restrictions on travel and in-person engagements brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, the webinar will also explore digitized resources created by Japanese institutions. Ayaka Sano Iida is an independent scholar specializing in fashion history with a focus on Japanese culture. While pursuing an MA in Costume Studies at New York University, she wrote her thesis on the designer, Hanae Mori, and her impact on the US fashion industry during the 1960s and 70s. Most recently, Iida has contributed to curatorial projects at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, and Japan Society, New York. Since 2018, she has volunteered for the CSA’s Mid-Atlantic region and is an active member of the Textile Society of America and the Association of Dress Historians. Host Alden O’Brien received her BA in Art History from Barnard College and her MA in Museum Studies in Costume & Textiles from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New