Vintage Haori: Rinzu Shibori

A luminous rinzu shibori haori, showcasing the exuberant modernism of Japanese textile design.

The outer layer is dyed in a vibrant bengara red and ornamented with thousands of kanoko shibori dots arranged into a bold geometric patchwork. Beneath the dye, a subtle rinzu jacquard (woven with sayagata and delicate floral arabesques) creates a second, more intimate layer of pattern, visible only as the light shifts.

Inside, the haori is lined with soft white silk printed with large drifting chrysanthemums, the classical flower of autumn and longevity. The pairing of kanoko (symbol of youth and purity) with imperial kiku (chrysanthemums) offers a beautiful dialogue between innocence and elegance, typical of women’s fashion in the late Taishō and early Shōwa eras.

Designed for everyday wear (visiting friends, strolling through the city, going out on cool evenings) this haori embodies the casual refinement of Japan.

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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.