At first glance, a haori can seem familiar: an open jacket with straight lines, generous sleeves and a seemingly simple silhouette. That simplicity is also one reason why the word haori is now used very freely in international fashion. Cardigans, beach cover-ups and wide-sleeved jackets may all be described as haori, even when they have little connection to the traditional Japanese garment.

For us at SUSUMU AI, that distinction matters. Our own work exists between Japan and Berlin, and we are inspired by Japanese textiles, forms and ways of thinking about clothing. But inspiration becomes more meaningful when we are precise about where it comes from.

What is a haori?

A haori (羽織) is a traditional Japanese outer jacket worn over a kimono. Unlike a kimono, the front panels of a haori do not wrap across the body and are not secured with an obi. The jacket is generally worn open, although the two fronts may be connected with decorative cords known as haori-himo.

Its construction is closely connected to the principles of traditional Japanese dress. Rather than shaping the garment tightly around the body through darts, fitted waistlines and heavily constructed shoulders, the form is created largely through straight-cut fabric panels, proportion and the relationship between textile and body. That changes the way the garment is experienced: the fabric itself becomes part of the silhouette. Pattern, weave, colour and surface remain visible, while space is allowed between garment and body.

This is one of the qualities I find most beautiful in Japanese clothing. It also explains why the term haori should not be reduced to “a jacket with wide sleeves.” A haori is defined not only by what it looks like, but also by its construction, its relationship to kimono and the culture of dress from which it developed.

Is a haori the same as a kimono?

No. Although the two garments share aspects of Japanese garment construction, they serve different functions. A kimono is the principal robe itself. It wraps across the front of the body and is traditionally secured with an obi. A haori is an outer jacket worn over kimono. Its fronts do not overlap in the same way; instead, the jacket frames the garment underneath.

This distinction may seem obvious in Japan, but it becomes important internationally because the word kimono is often used for almost every loose Japanese-inspired garment. A kimono is not simply a robe, and a haori is not simply a short kimono. They belong to a much more precise language of dress.

A garment with a changing history

Tradition is sometimes presented as if it were static. It rarely is. Haori were historically strongly associated with men’s dress and later became firmly established in women’s wardrobes as well. By the early twentieth century, both men’s and women’s haori were an established part of Japanese dress.

Even within traditional haori, there is no single visual formula. The level of formality, textile, colour, pattern and decoration could vary. One particularly beautiful example can be found in historical men’s haori: the exterior might appear restrained, while the lining could contain an elaborate landscape, a dramatic motif or even imagery relating to modern life. The wearer knew it was there, and it might become visible only through movement.

I find this idea fascinating because it reflects a very different relationship to decoration. Not every detail has to announce itself immediately. Some things can exist simply because they have meaning to the person wearing them.

What makes a traditional haori traditional?

If we take an open jacket, add wide sleeves and print cherry blossoms on it, have we created a haori? Not necessarily. Traditional clothing is more than a collection of visible symbols. It is a relationship between construction, textile, proportion, wearing practice, craftsmanship, occasion and cultural context.

This is why I believe we should be careful when using traditional garment names in contemporary fashion. The question is not whether designers are allowed to be inspired. Fashion has always developed through exchange, observation and reinterpretation. The more interesting question is what exactly we are carrying forward: a construction principle, a relationship between body and fabric, a textile tradition, a proportion, a way of wrapping, or simply a recognisable motif.

For me, there is a significant difference.

Traditional haori and contemporary interpretation

Today, many garments described as haori are actually contemporary jackets inspired by selected qualities of traditional Japanese dress. There is nothing wrong with that. A modern interpretation may adapt sleeve proportions, garment length, pockets, sizing, closures, fabric weight or the way the garment is styled. It may be worn with trousers rather than kimono and designed for work, travel or an evening out.

Calling this a contemporary interpretation does not make the garment less valuable. Quite the opposite: it makes the design more honest. We do not need to claim that something is traditional in order for tradition to have influenced it.

What can contemporary design learn from the haori?

This is the question that interests me most as a designer. I am less interested in making modern women look traditionally Japanese than in asking what we can learn from the thinking behind the garment.

One answer is space. A haori does not need to trace every line of the body in order to create presence. Another is the textile plane. When a garment is constructed from relatively uninterrupted pieces of fabric, the textile itself can speak more clearly. And another is movement: the open front creates a vertical frame around the body, and what is worn underneath becomes part of the composition as the wearer moves.

These ideas can be translated, but translation is different from reproduction. That difference is central to the way we work at SUSUMU AI.

How can a haori-inspired jacket be worn today?

A contemporary haori-inspired jacket can be surprisingly easy to integrate into a modern wardrobe. The key is not to make the entire outfit look “Japanese,” but to let the jacket be one clear element.

With simple trousers, a calm top and quiet shoes, the silhouette and textile of the jacket can remain visible. Over a single-colour dress, an open jacket creates a vertical frame and can soften a very formal silhouette. In professional wardrobes, a haori-inspired jacket can offer an alternative to a conventional blazer when the rest of the outfit remains precise.

Proportion matters more than rules. A shorter jacket creates a different balance from a longer one. Wide sleeves need enough space beneath any coat worn on top, and fabric changes the expression significantly. A structured cotton holds its plane clearly, while a softer textile moves more visibly with the body.

The most useful test is simple: sit down, walk, lift your arms and try the jacket with the trousers, dresses and coats you already own. A distinctive piece earns its place when it does not need to wait for a special performance.

The SUSUMU AI HAORI: our contemporary interpretation

Our SUSUMU AI HAORI is not presented as a traditional Japanese haori worn as part of formal kimono dress. It is our contemporary interpretation of the open Japanese jacket, designed for a modern wardrobe and made in our Berlin atelier.

The piece is made from Japanese indigo-dyed organic cotton and combines three different patterns: stripes at the front, dots on the sleeves and sakura on the back. But the Japanese reference is not only in the motifs. What interests me more is the relationship between textile and body: the open construction, the generous surface, the movement and the idea that a garment can frame a person without tightly defining her or him.

That is where Japanese influence becomes most meaningful to me. Not when we reproduce a visual symbol, but when a principle changes the way we design.

SUSUMU AI has always existed between Japan and Berlin. The brand was founded by siblings and inspired by our grandfather Susumu. Japanese heritage is therefore not something we added later as an aesthetic concept; it is part of our family story. At the same time, we live and design in Berlin. Our garments have to work here, today, with contemporary bodies, contemporary wardrobes and contemporary lives.

That tension is not something we try to remove. It is where our design language begins.

Frequently asked questions about haori

What is a haori?

A haori is a traditional Japanese outer jacket typically worn over a kimono. It is generally worn open at the front and may be connected with decorative cords called haori-himo.

Is a haori a kimono?

No. A kimono is the main robe and wraps across the front of the body. A haori is a shorter outer jacket traditionally worn over it.

Does a haori close at the front?

Traditional haori do not overlap and close like kimono. They are generally worn open, although the two sides may be connected with haori-himo cords.

Can women wear haori?

Yes. Haori are worn by both men and women. Historical examples show differences in proportions, textile choices, decoration and levels of formality.

Is every Japanese-style open jacket a haori?

No. Wide sleeves, an open front or Japanese motifs alone do not make a garment a traditional haori. Construction, context and wearing practice matter.

Is the SUSUMU AI HAORI a traditional Japanese haori?

No. The SUSUMU AI HAORI is a contemporary interpretation inspired by the form and principles of the Japanese haori. It is designed for a modern wardrobe and handmade in our Berlin atelier.

Precision makes inspiration more credible

For me, the most interesting part of Japanese design has never been the possibility of copying a recognisable silhouette. It is the thinking behind it: the space between fabric and body, the value given to the textile itself, the possibility that a detail does not need to reveal everything immediately, and the idea that clothing can have presence without overpowering the person wearing it.

A traditional haori belongs to its own history. Our HAORI belongs to ours. There is a relationship between the two, but they are not the same. I believe the design becomes more credible, not less, when we are honest about that distinction.

Alisa Designer and Co-Founder of SUSUMU AI