‘Tessen’ (Clematis)

'Tessen' (Clematis) design pattern is often similar to Karakusa pattern designs. The Tessen pattern was popularly used in the costumes of Oiran Geisya, and wearing second hand Tessen kimonos was popular among common people during the Edo period (1603–1868). Many Ukiyo-e Clematis Kimono works were also produced as it was promoted for Geisha costumes. This is one of around 400 Japanese katagami stencils which are part of the Silver Studio Collection. The stencils were produced in Japan as a way of applying patterns to fabric, mainly kimonos. The katagami collected by the Silver Studio were used by their designers as reference material to produce their own Japanese-inspired patterns. This Katagami employed the Itoire technique. This is one method of silk thread reinforcement in Katagami. Itoire was a detailed technique which was applied to Katagami by veteran female artisans at Shiroko, Ise, from about 1750. Itoire was used until 1920. See Markham, Mamiko (2018): Katagami technique Itoire. Middlesex University. Journal contribution. https://doi.org/10.22023/mdx.6477776.v1