This striking kimono represents a bold departure from traditional Japanese textile design, embracing the geometric abstraction and dynamic visual rhythms that defined the late 1920s and 1930s modernist aesthetic. The composition transforms the classical arrow-feather (yabane) motif into a sophisticated exercise in pure form and color, where angular chevron shapes in vibrant yellows, deep purples, rich browns, and silvery grays create a syncopated pattern across the garment's surface.

The artistic approach directly parallels the Art Deco movement's embrace of angular forms, metallic accents, and dynamic compositions that suggested speed and modernity. The sharp, knife-like shapes appear to slice through space with an energy reminiscent of Futurist paintings, while the sophisticated color palette and precise execution maintain the luxury associated with high-end Japanese textiles. The images closeups reveal the remarkable technical complexity underlying this apparently simple design, where the seemingly solid blue areas are actually composed of multiple colored threads woven together to create subtle optical effects and textural depth.

The integration of vertical metallic silver threads adds a distinctly contemporary industrial quality that reflects the period's celebration of new materials and technologies.  The result is a textile that feels thoroughly modern even today, demonstrating the forward-thinking vision of Japanese designers who were reimagining traditional craft for the contemporary world.

Its measurements are 49 inches (124 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 57 inches (145 cm) in height.

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This artwork is featured on page 268 of Art Kimono: Aesthetic Revelations of Japan, 1905-1960. This book, published by Yorke Antique Textiles, can be previewed or purchased on our website here.

The piece is also featured on page 142 of the July-August 2017 edition of Arts of Asia.

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