Vintage Kimono: Cherry Blossoms, Fans, & Foliage

An exceptional kimono with its original basting stitches and nickel snaps still intact. 

Its four-color palette (brick red, sky blue, celadon green, and ochre) makes the garment appears muted, but sophisticated. The intricate blend motifs consist of stylized sakura (cherry blossoms symbolizing youth, beauty, and feminine grace), ōgi (folding fans signifying expanding fortune and auspicious beginnings), and abstracted pan-Asian foliage.

Though unmistakably Japanese, the pattern bears the imprint of global textile exchange: the dotted fields and grid work echo Indonesian batik; the floral vines recall Indian chintz; and the sharp, geometric rhythm reflects European Art Deco. These elements are woven together in such a way as to create a shimmering effect known as an “optical houndstooth.”

Fully lined with a bright orange hakkake and white dōura, it was designed for autumn, winter, and early spring wear, not for summer.

Measures 60" (collar-to-hem) x 49" (sleeve-to-sleeve).

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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.