Base fabric: meisen silk, type heiyo-gasuri
Size style: Naga-haori
Family crests (mon) present: none
Dimensions: 50 inches (127 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 37 inches (94 cm) in height
This vibrant meisen haori exemplifies the bold, modern aesthetic that emerged in Japanese textile design during the 20th century, showing remarkable parallels with both Art Deco and Pop Art sensibilities. The design features a striking combination of geometric patterns and stylized ume (plum blossoms) against a vivid yellow background, creating a dynamic interplay between natural and abstract elements. The composition employs black triangular shapes that create a bold geometric grid, demonstrating an affinity with Art Deco's love of strong angular patterns and dramatic contrast.
The flowers themselves are rendered in an almost Pop Art-like simplification, with pink and green blooms outlined in white that appear almost graphic or logo-like in their execution. This treatment of traditional Japanese motifs in a bold, simplified manner seems to anticipate aspects of Pop Art's approach to imagery, though emerging from a distinctly Japanese design context. The color palette is particularly striking - the combination of bright yellow background with black geometric elements, hot pink and emerald green flowers creates a visual impact that feels surprisingly contemporary while still maintaining connections to traditional Japanese textile arts.
The overall composition achieves a remarkable balance between order and playfulness. The strict geometric arrangement of the black triangular elements provides a structured framework, while the floating flower motifs create a sense of movement and organic rhythm across the surface. This sophisticated play between rigid geometry and natural forms, combined with the bold color choices, creates a design that bridges traditional Japanese textile patterns with modernist sensibilities, particularly showcasing how Japanese designers were exploring ideas that would later become central to various Western modern art movements.