VINTAGE SHEER HAORI & KIMONO

A note on these fabrics: Sha and Ro

For this collection, I have selected vintage Japanese sheer silk — a fabric traditionally worn during Japan's humid summer months. The pieces I have chosen fall into two weaves: Sha (紗) and Ro (絽).

Sha is sheer and open throughout, with a crisp, cool, firmly structured hand. This natural stiffness is one of its defining qualities — it lets air pass through and helps the garment hold its shape — and is not a sign of synthetic material.

Ro is distinguished by fine horizontal openwork stripes. It is a little softer and more fluid than Sha, while still keeping that dry, crisp character rather than the smooth, liquid drape of satin silk.

If you are accustomed to modern satin silk, both fabrics may feel firmer than you expect. That crispness is precisely what gives these vintage summer textiles their character.

As with all vintage textiles, I identify each piece by its weave and appearance; exact fiber content cannot be certified without formal laboratory analysis.