Vintage Haori: Kikko Plum

A fine haori jacket dyed in a repeating kikkō (tortoiseshell) geometric lattice rendered in deep plum. The outer fabric is finely woven and decorated using a stencil-based resist technique that creates subtle variation within each cell, giving the surface a soft, rhythmic texture rather than a flat printed appearance.

The interior is fully lined in silk rinzu, woven with an understated pattern of chrysanthemum and plum blossoms, traditional symbols of longevity and resilience, revealed only when worn or handled. This quiet contrast between the restrained exterior and the richly symbolic lining is characteristic of interwar Japanese women’s dress, where modern graphic sensibilities met deeply rooted textile traditions.

Designed to be worn open over a kimono, the haori functioned as an everyday outer layer for social outings rather than formal occasions. No family crests present.

A refined example of Japanese textile modernism: elegant, wearable, and intentionally understated.

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PROVENANCE

These kimonos come from the private collection of Christine Ong, a Peranakan Singaporean singer and entrepreneur now associated with the preeminent Asian publisher Tuttle. Ong is an esteemed collector of Asian cultural artifacts, including Japanese textiles, which she sources from defunct kimono collectors and tailors in Japan.