MATSU.039

This one-of-a-kind garment is reversible and unique from each side.

Relaxed fit long kimono style coat Matsu on one side featuresvintage cotton from the Guatemalan highlands combined with vintage Kente cloth from Ghana and  vintage handwoven silk from Odisha in deep bottle green on the other side.

The cotton textile from the Guatemalan highlands is traditionally woven on backstrap looms, a technique that dates back to the ancient Maya civilization. Women artisans use naturally dyed cotton threads and pass down symbolic motifs—such as diamonds, animals, and maize-related forms—through generations. Each piece is unique to a village or even to a specific family, embodying cultural memory and cosmic order.

The Kente cloth used in this garment features a striking palette of black, golden yellow, and green. Each colour in Kente weaving holds layered cultural meanings:

• Black symbolizes spiritual strength, maturity, and ancestral energy
• Golden yellow signifies royalty, wealth, and sacred power
• Green stands for growth, renewal, and the natural world

The motif seen here is geometric and symmetrical, often interpreted as a symbol of unity and harmony in Akan tradition. Woven strip by strip on narrow looms, Kente is a masterwork of visual language—each line, block, and hue carefully encoded with meaning.

The silk from Odisha is a fine vintage weave, likely crafted on pit looms in the eastern Indian tradition. Known for its gossamer weight and lustrous transparency, this type of silk reflects the legacy of Odisha’s weaving clusters—where temple architecture and tribal motifs inspire textile patterns. The stepped diamond design featured here echoes sacred geometry and ancient textile codes, achieved through a meticulous handloom process where pattern and structure are built simultaneously.

Keynote from Kārātoyaa:

• Please note, that due to antique nature of the fabrics there may be signs of past experiences - we believe it adds value and a meaning to the garments.

• Some naturally dyed fabrics even after lasting generations may leave colour

• Please keep in mind that all Karatoyaa pieces are Dry Clean only with the Professional service provider.