Summer Kimono with Banana Leaves

Bold, simple, large-scale patterns that seem to burst from a garment’s surface are typical of early Shōwa-period kimonos. The latticelike, diagonal motif of swaying banana leaves evokes a cooling breeze appropriate for a summer garment. This example is similar to a yukata, a casual kimono much like a bathrobe. The ground is kōbai, a fine fabric of silk and cotton with a waffled texture that does not adhere to the skin and is cool to wear. The pattern was executed by a stitch-resist method called tritik, in which the design is outlined with thread that is then gathered tightly to keep the outlined areas from being dyed, a variation of the shibori tie-dying technique. The fabric received the same treatment within each part of the blue pattern, creating a double row of small dots that delineates the veins of the leaves.