Our latest order of vintage Kimono’s and Haori from Japan arrived this weekend. Haori’s are thigh length jackets traditionally worn by merchant and working class men in Japan, although women started wearing them in the 1930’s. In the past, haori were made of plain, dark colors and were lined with bright fabrics but after the 1930’s the designs became as flamboyant as full length kimonos. They could be cotton or silk.
The batch that we stocked this week were made in the 1950’s from meisen silk. Meisen silk is made from spun silk rather than silk taken directly from the cocoon of the silkworm. It can have a range of textures, from soft and drapey to taffeta-like stiffness. The brightly colored designs are either printed on the fabric or produced as an Ikat weave.
Haori can be worn as a bathrobe with a sash or hook and eye closure or as the top layer of a fabulous outfit. It’s an incredibly versatile garment. A silk haori or kimono should never be washed in a machine but should be taken to a dry cleaner that has experience with silk garments.
Here are some images of the items we have in stock now:
