This striking 1970s yukata exemplifies the bold aesthetic experimentation that characterized Japanese textile design during this transformative decade. The garment features a dynamic geometric pattern that breaks dramatically from traditional yukata motifs, embracing instead a modernist vocabulary of intersecting diamonds and linear elements rendered in stark black and white. This monochromatic palette and geometric approach reflects the influence of international design movements, particularly Op Art and Bauhaus-inspired modernism, which were gaining traction in Japanese applied arts during this period.
The silkscreened pattern demonstrates remarkable sophistication in its execution, with crisp diagonal lattice work creating a sense of movement and visual tension across the garment's surface. The diamond motif, while geometrically abstract, can be interpreted as a contemporary reimagining of traditional Japanese shippo (seven treasures) patterns, though stripped of their usual organic curves and rendered in a decidedly industrial aesthetic. This transformation reflects the broader cultural shift in 1970s Japan, where traditional craft techniques were being recontextualized through modern design sensibilities.
The detail images reveal the pattern's technical complexity, showing how fine parallel lines transition into a grid system that creates optical effects reminiscent of halftone printing or digital pixelation - remarkably prescient given the era's pre-digital context. The hand-sewn construction maintains connection to traditional craftsmanship while the silkscreen printing technique represents the period's embrace of industrial reproduction methods.
It measures 49 inches (125 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stands at 60 inches (152 cm) in height.