Kimono Dressing Gown

I have decided to make a Kimono dressing gown as a birthday present for a friend based on some of the wonderful material (Matisse especially) often used in the Ballet Russes costumes and a great 1960's dressing gown I inherited from my grandmother. This book set my heart alight, more of the exhibition here. I love the way they sometimes embroidered, and then without warning gave it all up and just painted a quick wash of colour to imitate the detailed embroidery/applique. My friend loves colour (I hope) so I'm now on the search for a medium weight soft cotton fabric in light burnt yellow. Then around the bottom hem, the lower arms and a little on the collar I am thinking to applique circles of a fancier material (patterned or not, and paint smooth, thick and uncaring petals (or some such) around them... something in this line although what I have described is a direct rip off of one of the Ballet Russes costumes. We will think more on this.
With a little look in from this but without quite so much organisation. I love the opulence of this design, especially the back (fitted coat style rather than a big rectangular block of material). But mostly it is the arms that get me.... My friend is a mother of four so I have to make the thing useful (and long long floppy arms are never useful) but I might put a false drop from the back of the elbow imitating this... on the other hand I might not, it is a bit chintzy.
Etsy Ireland also has a great simple pattern which I will probably use as a base. But for the back I'll steal from a dress or coat pattern.
For the front I will depart from the traditional Kimono look of a criss cross V neck and aim for a somewhat square collar (dress shirt style but a bit more relaxed) and keep the wide collar round the neck to just below the hips. For a tie at the waist I will attach a wide belt across the back with a bastardised version of a straight kimono flat knot sewn on through to the waistline and probably give it a velcro closure at the front to hold the line. I say probably because velcro can be pretty solid and dressing gowns are made to crunch up in. I would hate for her waist to feel uncomfortable every time she bends over.
More soon,
Softly Slowly