V&A

Navy Blue Woven Silk Men's Obi Sash

Japanese Traditional · 2010s · Japanese

Production

artisan-craft

Material

woven silk

Culture

Japanese

Influences

traditional Japanese obi construction

A traditional Japanese men's obi sash in navy blue woven silk with subtle textural patterning. The obi is wrapped around the waist over a dark navy kimono, creating horizontal bands of fabric that emphasize the geometric structure of traditional Japanese dress. The burgundy red accent visible at the chest appears to be an undergarment or collar detail. The obi's width spans approximately six inches and demonstrates the precise folding and wrapping techniques essential to proper kimono wearing. The silk shows a fine weave with minimal surface decoration, emphasizing the material quality and craftsmanship over ornamental display.

belt

Connected To

V&A

Japanese Traditional · 2010s

Pink Cotton Koshi-himo with Blue White Striped Border

V&A

Japanese Traditional · 1960s

Navy Blue Woven Silk Men's Obi Sash

65%

Pink Cotton Koshi-himo with Blue White Striped Border

Worn with·jubanWorn with·kimono

SHARED50 years

The navy kimono's wide obi and the delicate pink koshi-himo represent two ends of the Japanese sash spectrum — one a bold statement piece that commands the silhouette, the other a whisper-thin undergarment meant to secure layers beneath. What connects them across fifty years is their shared geometry of wrapping and binding, the way both transform the body through careful tension and placement rather than Western tailoring's darts and seams.

Text64%

Image68%

Entity36%