Banana Republic launched a line of kimono-style, sash-tie tops and dresses. Fresh, a skin-care and cosmetics company, has its own Geisha line that touts rice- and sake-based products. Icon, an accessories manufacturer, printed actual film scenes onto purses and cosmetic bags.

It won't take long for moviegoers to see why U.S. companies are eager to bring the luxe and lush looks to these shores: The outfits that play a major role in Geisha are stunning, and the actresses who wear them even more so.

Geisha costume designer Colleen Atwood explains that the prints, patterns and colors on the kimonos she used were bigger and bolder than the typical, more subtle Japanese aesthetic, but the 250 hand-finished costumes captured the richness of the garments and the important tradition they represent.

As soon as she was hired, she made a cultural trip to Japan with director Rob Marshall, whom she also collaborated with on 2002's Chicago. She visited the University of Tokyo's fashion school; the city of Kyoto, where Geisha takes place; and with kimono makers themselves, who are upholding 500-year family traditions.

The palette is basically foreign to the West, embracing colors that big fashion companies typically shy away from, including orange and purple. The perception of color in Japan is amazing.