Vintage Japanese Silk Brocade Kimono Woven Kiku Chrysanthemum Burgundy Showa

Vintage Japanese silk brocade kimono, woven kiku chrysanthemum suso-moyō on deep burgundy ground, pink ombre silk lining, Showa era

Japan; Showa era, mid-20th century, c. 1950s–1970s

A striking vintage Japanese silk kimono in a deep burgundy-crimson ground (ebi-iro), decorated in the suso-moyō (裾模様) tradition — the ornamental field concentrated at the hem and sleeve cuffs and fading upward into unadorned ground. The decoration is woven directly into the silk rather than painted or resist-dyed: large kiku (菊, chrysanthemum) blossoms with precisely articulated radiating petals appear in white, dusty rose-pink, and warm taupe-grey, surrounded by scatterings of smaller kiku heads in the same palette, creating a richly textured floral landscape that carries depth and movement as the garment is worn. The technique — in which the floral motifs are built up through the weft of the silk itself — achieves a dimensional quality that flat yuzen dyeing cannot, the slight relief of the woven structure catching the light differently at each angle. The silk ground is smooth and well-handled, with a quiet luster consistent with quality Showa-era production.

The interior is lined in a delicately shaded ombre silk graduating from soft cream at the shoulder to blush pink at the hem — a refined choice that complements the burgundy exterior without competing with it, and that would show as the kimono moves. The construction follows standard hon-shitate (本仕立て) kimono tailoring, with hand-sewn seams and properly weighted hem.

Kiku (菊) — the chrysanthemum — occupies a singular position in Japanese visual culture, simultaneously the symbol of the imperial household, an emblem of longevity and autumn beauty, and one of the most versatile decorative motifs in textile production. In woven silk kimono, the kiku appears across the full spectrum of formality, from highly formal tomesode to the kind of elegant semi-formal piece seen here. The deep ebi-iro (海老色, prawn-red) ground is a color with long associations with mature feminine elegance in Japanese dress, well suited to the structured formality of a woven brocade decoration.

• Fabric: Silk (woven brocade; kiku motifs woven in polychrome weft)
• Decoration: Suso-moyō kiku chrysanthemum in white, dusty rose, and taupe-grey on deep burgundy-crimson (ebi-iro) ground
• Lining: Ombre silk, cream-to-blush pink
• Period: Showa era, mid-20th century, c. 1950s–1970s
• Dimensions:
• Condition: Some subtle minor discoloration noted; structurally sound with no tears or losses to the silk. Please see photos for details. This is a vintage silk garment and may exhibit minor age-related characteristics such as slight discoloration, faint spotting, or occasional pulled threads consistent with its age and prior wear. Please see photos for details and feel free to contact us with any questions prior to purchase.