SMITHSONIAN
Pink Synthetic Silk Brocade Evening Jacket
1950s · 1960s · American
Production
ready-to-wear
Material
synthetic silk brocade
Culture
American
Movement
Japonisme · New Look / Post-War
Influences
East Asian brocade traditions · 1960s boxy silhouette
A coral pink evening jacket constructed from synthetic silk brocade featuring an East Asian-inspired floral and geometric pattern in gold and cream tones. The garment displays a relaxed, boxy silhouette characteristic of 1960s formal wear, with three-quarter length sleeves and an open front design. The jacket appears to be unlined or minimally lined, allowing the brocade pattern to show through subtly on the interior. The construction suggests machine weaving for the brocade pattern, with the jacket itself likely tailored using standard mid-century techniques. The collar appears to be a simple standing or mandarin style, complementing the East Asian aesthetic influence in the textile design.
jacketregular fitcollarlesship length
Connected To
Movement·Japonisme
SHARED50 years · cross-culture · cross-category
Both garments reveal how Japan's aesthetic infiltrated Western fashion through entirely different cultural moments—the 1950s evening jacket channels postwar America's fascination with Oriental luxury through its kimono-inspired silhouette and chrysanthemum brocade, while the Belgian maxi dress represents the 1970s hippie movement's wholesale embrace of Eastern spirituality, borrowing the kimono's flowing sleeves and wrap construction.
Echoes Across Time
Bohemian / Hippie → 1950s · 50yr59%
SHARED
Both garments reveal how Japan's aesthetic infiltrated Western fashion through entirely different cultural moments—the 1950s evening jacket channels postwar America's fascination with Oriental luxury through its kimono-inspired silhouette and chrysanthemum brocade, while the Belgian maxi dress represents the 1970s hippie movement's wholesale embrace of Eastern spirituality, borrowing the kimono's flowing sleeves and wrap construction.
Movement·Japonisme
Victorian Late / Bustle → 1950s · 80yr
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