Haori

All these items are genuine, vintage pieces from Japan which we hope you will enjoy to wear or display.

These jackets are called haori. They are not ‘shortened kimono’ but garments in their own right which are made to be worn over kimono for going outdoors and keeping warm. They are often beautifully decorated, and even the linings (especially on older and men’s haori) can be surprisingly funky!

The beauty of haori from a Western perspective is that they are incredibly flattering for a variety of body shapes/sizes, and can be dressed up or down for any occasion. They are worn open at the front (rather than crossed over like kimono), so can fit from a UK size 8-18 comfortably. Some of our haori are up to 100 years old but still look incredibly fresh and modern because the designs are so ‘different’ to what we see in the West. If you like to have your own unique style, why not try a haori? You may be surprised how good you look in it!

Haori care: Simply hang your haori in the bathroom while you take a shower and the creases will fall out! We do not recommend that you try to wash your items, and if you do so it is at your own risk. It may be possible depending on the fabric, dye etc but you will have to do your own research and take your own chance on this. In Japan there are specialist cleaners who pick apart kimono, sew them back into a long strip (each kimono is made from a narrow bolt of fabric which is about 12m long!), before skilfully washing, drying and re-stitching it by hand.

You may want to try dry-cleaning your garment but again, this is at your own risk. Many garments will be absolutely fine to dry clean, but please be aware that any gold outlines on painted items may be lost. Our best advice is to love your garment as it is, but if you have to clean it then take it to the professionals and take your chance. Do your research and it should be fine!