Hinako | Geisha

First in a series of illustrations designed to explore traditional clothing garments of different cultures.

I’ve always been fascinated by geisha culture, so that’s where I chose to start.

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding geisha so I thought I’d share some of my research:

1. Geisha were not sex workers. Their primary role was “entertainer” and they had to undergo extensive training (we’re talking years) to learn fine art, politics and, more. Although some geisha would develop intimate relationships with their clients, these were formal arrangements and subject to ceremonial blessing.

2. The first “geisha” were actually male hosts, called taikomochi. These predated the more feminine geisha culture as we understand it today.

3. Geisha clothing reflected the wearer’s progression through her training. In my illustration, I depict a hair style that would have been worn by a fully-trained geisha. Other distinctions between geisha and trainees (called Maiko) was the length of the obi and the collar of the collar.