This series celebrates the V+A's status as a source of inspiration for designers, reflecting the unique breadth and depth of a collection that represents over 3000 years of objects from all over the world. Kimono features some of the best Japanese textile patterns at the V+A ranging over 200 years from the early nineteenth century. The other books in this second instalment of the V+A Pattern series are Owen Jones, Novelty Patterns and Garden Florals.

The pocket sized books make attractive and collectable gifts but are also a valuable source of ideas for designers of all kinds. Each book includes a short introduction to put the patterns in context plus a free CD of the images inside, which can be redrawn or reworked. Commercial designers looking to license patterns and individual motifs from the collection can use the books as a starting point for research