Lolita Hikizuri - what obi should I use with it?

I've recently been gifted with this hikizuri, I've been hunting it for some years and finally got it
It is a stage hiki, from silk with unusual motif such as lillies and ribbons. A japanese friend of mine told me that it was strange, because it has a more western motif, and it has also the artist's sign in the right bottom part of the collar. Any addictional information will be very welcome, but I'm here more to request kitsuke advice for it. I don't know exactly what kind of obi to wear with it. Since it is baby blue, I was thinking in a pink obi, or even a wine red hakata one to match the hiyoku color.

Opinions, anyone?

This is a really beautiful hikizuri. The artist signature is called a RAKAN or RAKKAN. In my opinion a light pink, or cream shobori obi-age with the matching obi-jime or powder blue obi-jime would add nice highlights to accent different colors. Since the lining has such a vivid maroon an obi with that color as the background would make a beautiful contrast with the pastel outside. Enjoy it

The area that looks faded is most likely you fold guide for the ohashori

Thank you

the faded part is the lenghted area, so the person who engthened it probably didn't find the exact same tissue, and used a clearer fabric I guess. I will take it to a professional to see if they can remove that area, since the hikizuri is too long.

What do you think of this fukuro?

Cute obi. The colors look like a nice compliment to the color scheme of the hikizuri but I would have to actually see it on top to really tell

Komatsu2012 wrote:

Cute obi. The colors loo like a nice compliment to the color scheme of the hikizuri but I would have to actually see it on top to really tell

Thank you
I think a crimson hakata will also look nice.

Agree. A deep wine color hakama would look stunning.

I do wonder why you feel the need to cut the kimono down. Just adjust your fold to a length for your height. Since it is a hikizuri it is meant to be long as during a performance it is supposed to drag on the ground ( trailing hem ). That's why geisha carry the hem lifted . Unless you find a tailor skilled in sewing silk and redoing a kimono in particular, it may be ruined in the process.

What ever you decide to do with it enjoy this beautiful piece

I would love to see this kimono with either a dark red, as you have said, or a very soft cream with a subtle pattern might work well, this kimono is so brightly patterned that a complex obi might be overwhelming. Likewise it will be very hard to find a complementary obi pattern to go with such a western pattern on the hikizuri. Oh! Perhaps a ribbon pattern, these exist, I think?


These are two examples of kimono paired on Geiko with cream obi.


This last one is a Maiko, I know! However, her obi is a neutral pattern that could go perfectly with ANYTHING! I love it. This type of obi would be perfect with your kimono. More formal than any Hakata design, but not in opposition to the bright patterns on the hikizuri.

*bows* these are just possibilities. I know anything that you choose will look very elegant on you, Kimino-san! <3

Just realized that you wrote hakata not hakama. Personally I prefer the obi you posted as I feel hakata obi look better with tomesode or other kimono with limited designs to showcase the hakata obi. With this piece I would want to show case the design. I also found the signature to be interesting that you posted. It is a western designer. That isn't a rakkan which is a Japanese artist signature. Could be it was designed for a western production with a Japanese theme, like the opera Madame Butterfly or some other movie or stage production.

Komatsu2012 wrote:

Just realized that you wrote hakata not hakama.

Ah yes, I do misspeak sometimes, and I often mix up these two. ^__^

If you look on the original Flickr entry for this kimono you can see a 'lively' discussion of the possible origin for the hikizuri. One clue is that the label seems to be similar to the one used by English couture designers, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, known for having created the wedding dress for Lady Diana, Princess of Wales. David Emanuel did indeed design costumes for a number of stage productions according to his online fashion biography, but he is not listed as having created anything Japanese, or Japanese-inspired. It is quite the mystery.

Hopefully Kimino-san will keep us posted?

I contacted Elizabeth about that matter, and this was her answer:

"Dear Kimino,

Thank you for your email.
The kimono you have bought was designed by David Emanuel and myself under the "Emanuel" brand in the early eighties when we were designing Kimonos for the Japanese market. Its lovely to see them again!

Best wishes
Elizabeth Emanuel"

So it seems that she and David designed this kimono indeed!

I sent her another message, asking if she could give me more informations about this piece, and I will post it here she replies


As for the obi to go with it, I'm thinking in something like this:



A cream obi will also look very refined, or even a silver one? I have this pink fukuro:



My idea when wearing this hikizuri is not looking too much formal, nor too much informal. I want to give it an unique, somehow more eccentric look, but in a way that favors the kimono.

The only concern is to make sure that the pink colors blend well -- it would be so sad if the pinks clashed! This is one of the reasons (because kimono are hand-painted and so colors aren't always the same) that they will use a coordinating color(black with pink, or bright orange with blue) so that it isn't too close a match.

That said, I love the geiko combinations where it is almost tone-on-tone, or blue on blue or cream on white/grey. this is SO elegant. I love this.

I think silver would look pretty good! See if you can find a wedding obi -- these are often in silver, gold or white, and might be a good piece to offset the brightness of the hikizuri. (white and silver would also look fantastic on your black hikizuri with the sakura blossoms, I think!)

*hugs*

I have this silver, white and pink fukuro obi:



I never wore it, it was my very first obi, and it has such a magnificent embroidery peacock that I was afraid of damaging it. I don't know if it would look good with this hiki.

The fan pattern fukuro looks like a nice match. I would need to see it with the kimono to be positive. I also like the silver, white, pink fukuro with what looks like some kind of a bird. This one would fit with the idea Hasume suggested of the neutral color as it is a busy pattern on the kimono. How interesting that during the bubble economy an English designer made kimono for the retail market. I had my hopes of it being a stage or movie piece as that would be a fabulous collector piece.

Komatsu2012 wrote:

The fan pattern fukuro looks like a nice match. I would need to see it with the kimono to be positive. I also like the silver, white, pink fukuro with what looks like some kind of a bird. This one would fit with the idea Hasume suggested of the neutral color as it is a busy pattern on the kimono. How interesting that during the bubble economy an English designer made kimono for the retail market. I had my hopes of it being a stage or movie piece as that would be a fabulous collector piece.

It is a fabulous piece anyways
I just bought the pink hakata obi, as I putted it over the hikizuri(in a photo editor program, of course!), and they match so well, like if the obi was made for it! of course I could still wear the other obi with it.

It sure is a fablous piece. I just meant it would have been really out of this world for it to have been worn on the stage or in a movie. That would be some history. The fact that it was made by such a famous design house makes it special as it is



I didn't realize that the hakata obi was pink as it shows as red on my computer. Looking forward to seeing it with the cream embroidered , the hakata and the pink fukuro w-fans