Vintage Kimono: Persimmon Shibori

Women’s kimono worked entirely in fine-scale shibori that forms a quiet, regular diamond lattice across the surface. The repeating kanoko is dyed in a rich persimmon orange with indigo blue center dot, creating a beautiful texture and depth.

The exterior is balanced by a vermilion lining, a color historically associated with protection, the same color reserved for Tori shrine gates. Fully lined in cotton, with traditional construction and no family crests, this kimono would have been worn for daily social life rather than formal occasions. Its appeal lies not in display, but in material discipline and quiet cultural logic. A composed example of early 20th-century Japanese dress, where texture, color, and meaning are held in careful balance.

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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.