Modern Rayon Juban: Red & Cream Shibori Banded Silk

This rayon juban is a dynamic example of mid-20th-century textile design, utilizing modern materials to replicate labor-intensive traditional techniques. The garment features a bold, horizontal banded composition in a deep rust-red and cream palette. The wide cream bands are achieved through a large-scale shibori (tie-dye) resist technique, creating organic, feathered edges that provide a soft, textural contrast to the saturated red fields. Scattered across the red bands are stylized, three-petaled floral or butterfly-like motifs, also rendered in cream with golden-yellow centers, adding a rhythmic and playful energy to the piece.

Historically, juban were under-kimonos that offered a private space for bold aesthetic expression. The use of rayon—a popular "artificial silk" during the early to mid-Show era—allowed for vibrant color absorption and a fluid drape while making these high-fashion looks more accessible. The repeating, horizontal stripes suggest a sense of stability and ground the more whimsical, floating motifs. This piece perfectly bridges the gap between traditional folk-art sensibilities and the graphic, industrial trends of the mid-century, resulting in a garment that is both a functional underlayer and a piece of vibrant textile art.

It spans 47 inches (119 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stands at a height of 50 inches (127 cm).

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