Silk Haori with Starburst Design

Japanese commoners were not allowed to wear silk until the 1860’s and instead were relegated to wearing coarse cloth woven of hemp or other plant fibers. Once they were allowed to wear silk, the demand for patterned silk skyrocketed. The kasuri (ikat) technique was very costly and was replaced by the meisen techinque. Instead of tie dying or paste-resist, the yarns were printed using stencils while on the loom to give the ikat effect, and then woven on a mechanized loom. This technique was very popular in the early 20th century, but became less popular when Japanese women started wearing Western clothing after World War II.

Haori were originally worn by men up until the 19th century, when geishas started the trend of wearing it over their kimonos. By the 1930’s, it was common for women to wear haori, and geishas have dropped the practice.

This haori is very colorful and has a geometric starburst design. Red, mustard, and white hexagons cover the kimono with bursts of color in the white, and an organic stripe pattern in the background. The interior lining resembles a wood grain with drawings of origami cranes scattered on top. If you look closely, you can see the feathered edges imitating the look of ikat.