Haori

Subject Matter:

Chirimen refers to the unique wrinkled texture, also called crepe texture, created by a specific weaving technique. This texture is often used with traditional Japanese fabrics, often silk, wool, or synthetic fiber.

Shibori is labor intensive dying technique in which hundreds of hours are spent tying miniscule sections of the fabric before immersing it in dye, leaving the tied parts white. Shibori textiles are very expensive due to the time and skills required to produce them.

The Haori is a traditional Japanese hip or thigh-length jacket with elongated sleeves that is worn over the kimono. The Haori typically includes an interior lining with a design that is otherwise hidden from view when worn.The haori was originally part of a man’s formal attire, but in the nineteenth century, female entertainers in Edo (modern Tokyo) adopted it as a cloak for outdoor wear in mild weather. By the end of the century, married women of the upper class adopted black crepe silk haori with family crests for formal, public occasions. For much of the twentieth century, the haori has been the standard outerwear for a woman who dresses in a kimono outside the home.

This haori is decorated with a patterning method called “Eba:” the pattern is dyed in such a way that it creates an unbroken design across the seams when the kimono is sewn together.

Physical Description:

black  chirimen Eba-haori with interwoven gold shibori plum and maple motifs with a white and light pink inner lining with dyed daisies and plum blossoms with painted gold and silver-leaf eyes.

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