This listing is for a vintage Japanese wedding kimono (kakeshita - a kimono layer under the uchikake) from The Fuller Collection. See below for details on the provenance of this beautiful garment.

Kakeshita are wedding kimono that are belted and worn underneath an uchikake kimono, but they are no less sophisticated and elegant. Kakashita are typically lighter weight, with a lighter padding at the hem, a yuzen-dyed rather than woven fabric, and patterning that may have a "blank" area at the waist where the obi would be tied.

This kakeshita has a black background - not very common! Hundreds of shaded green leaves cascade over the kimono in an asymetrical patterning so much part of the Japanese design aesthetic. Among the leaves are huge peony (botan in Japanese) blossoms in blue, pink, white and orange. Little 4-petal blue flowers also appear here and there.

The yellow trim at the collar and sleeves calls out the very light yellowish shading in the leaves. And the finishing flourish is the signature of the artisan, which appears as a hanko (name stamp) image on the inner right lower panel. We haven't dentified the designer.

We do offer hanging rods for displaying kimono - see options above.

The Fuller Collection – originally over 2000 kimono – was the passion and pride of Richard Fuller of Chicago, IL and Wabasha, MN. Richard served as a US Marine in post-war Japan, and there began his love of and appreciation for vintage Japanese kimono – especially wedding kimono. Richard saw that the mastery and artisanship of traditional Japanese textile techniques was waning – threatening to die out altogether – which sparked his mission to promote this industry and preserve what he could. Click here to read one of his interviews.

Together with his wife Janith, Richard invested in thousands of kimono and obi, opening Wind Whisper West, a kimono gallery in Wabasha, MN in 2003. Most of the collection was sold there, but several hundred pieces remain. Richard passed in 2020, and Janith has consigned the remainder of the collection to Kyoto Kimono to offer through our website. We are honored and proud to be stewarding the Fuller Collection as each piece finds its new home and continues to bring wonder and beauty to admirers around the world.

See the video below for how these are traditionally worn as well as some images of how to display a wedding kimono in your home or office.

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