Green summer crested kimono with shibori (tie-dyed) pattern of vertical stripes and maybe wax-resisted cloud designs
Japanese
Description
Unlined kimono, called hitoe (meaning “single layer”) kimono, generally are worn from the beginning of June through the end of September. Hitoe kimono are made of silk, hemp, or cotton, and worn over a nagajuban (underkimono).
For highly formal occasions such as weddings, lined kimono are preferred, worn with summer obi such as the black one here, which is made of light, silk gauze with large floral medallions. According to Iwata Shizuko, this obi was worn with hômongi, one of the formal types of kimono.
Motifs on summer kimono and obi are often related to the season. The light blue obi with a gold-leaf-wrapped design of irises is for early summer, when these flowers are in bloom. Abstract designs based on water and waves are popular as well. Subdued, cool colors, such as those of the green hitoe kimono on display, are preferred for summer kimono and obi.
(Wrapped in Silk & Gold Exhibition, Summer 2010)
Subject Matter:
This summer kimono required a labor intensive technique called shibori, in which hundreds of hours would have been spent tying up each small section where white can be seen on the fabric before immersing it in dye. Shibori textiles are very expensive due to the time and skill required to produce them.
Physical Description:
White silk crepe (repp weave) unlined summer kimono with green shibori (tie-dyed) pattern of vertical stripes and maybe wax-resisted cloud design. Vertical lines look a bit like wood-grain.
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