V&A

Pink Cotton Koshi-himo with Blue White Striped Border

Japanese Traditional · 1960s · Japanese

Production

mass-produced

Material

cotton

Culture

Japanese

A traditional Japanese koshi-himo waist cord constructed from cotton fabric in a coral pink base color with blue and white striped borders running along both long edges. The cord measures approximately 3-4 inches in width and extends to considerable length for wrapping around the waist multiple times. The striped borders feature narrow alternating blue and white lines that create a clean geometric contrast against the solid pink center panel. The fabric appears to be a plain weave cotton with a smooth, lightweight construction typical of undergarment accessories. The cord shows precise straight edges and even color distribution, indicating machine production methods common in 1960s Japanese textile manufacturing.

belt

Connected To

Chartreuse Polyester Men's Obi with Diamond Zigzag Pattern

V&A

Japanese Traditional · 2010s

V&A

Japanese Traditional · 1960s

Chartreuse Polyester Men's Obi with Diamond Zigzag Pattern

67%

Pink Cotton Koshi-himo with Blue White Striped Border

Worn with·jubanWorn with·kimonoTechnique·machine-weaving

SHARED50 years

These two Japanese undergarments reveal how traditional kimono accessories evolved through decades of changing materials and aesthetics. The chartreuse obi's aggressive zigzag pattern in synthetic polyester twill speaks to the 1970s embrace of bold graphics and artificial fibers, while the coral and blue striped koshi-himo maintains the restrained geometry of earlier cotton weaving traditions.

Text64%

Image65%

V&A

Japanese Traditional · 2010s

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.