Kimono ("something worn")are the traditional garments of Japan. The Kimono is made of a single basic pattern, cut and woven straight and flat in order to be taken apart for cleaning, folding and storage.

Kimono is simple in its construction, yet hidden in its fabric lie the beauty, and elaborate elegance of Japanese Culture. Variations of vintage Kimono are achieved through the different types of Japanese textile and patterns such as silk, cotton, linen, wool, and in modern time's synthetic fabric. Kimono were made by hand with great care and precision, hand sewn and dyed.

Vintage Kimono are classified according to when the textile was dyed, before or after the weaving process. The pre-dyed Kimono are   made from reeled silk, heavy crepe, spun silk, silk gauze, and leno weave, as well as cotton and linen. Kimono dyed after the weaving process became popular as new developments occurred in the dying and decorating techniques. Today, the more elaborate and expensive Kimono are still made by hand, but the majority are now made by machine.

Japanese kimono are still worn for various occasions ranging from the most formal to the very informal or casual as well as the season. The formality of the kimono is still determined by the fabric, pattern and colour

At Maria Val Loureda Designs, we select vintage kimono panels for their beauty and condition and preserve them in new forms so that they can be enjoyed and admired for generations. Maria's kimonos are extremely versatile, whether worn as a highly unusual silk shawl or vintage scarf.