Scarlet Peacock Bathrobe 'Akashou'

A peacock on a long scarlet satin robe, white blossom scattered over the red

Scarlet is the loudest ground in the collection, and this long satin robe gives it a peacock to match. The bird sits high on one side with its tail sweeping down to the ankle in pink and green, white blossom scatters across the whole robe in sprays, and pink peonies open here and there, all on a red so bright it warms the room it hangs in. The belt is cut from the same cloth and ties at the front. Wide sleeves to the elbow, a crossover front, and a hem that moves.

It is the robe for someone who does not want a quiet one. Red satin has been the colour of the boudoir for two centuries, and in Japan it is the colour of celebration, and this robe manages both. It is not shy, and it is not meant to be.

The name, Akashou, means red peacock, the bird on a red ground, and the name says what it is.

The print is printed, not embroidered, on a polyester satin with a smooth, glossy face and a fluid drape, chosen because satin is what makes a red this bright glow rather than shout, and because a long robe should fall straight. It is unlined and not sheer.

Cross the fronts left over right, wrap the belt once at the waist and tie it at the front or the side. The peacock's tail runs down the side, so it shows tied or open, and the white blossom breaks the red up so it never reads as a wall.

Up close the tail shows its eyes and the blossom shows its five petals. From across a room it is a long red robe with a bird on it, and there is no missing it. That is the point of scarlet.

It washes cold, inside out, and dries in an hour on a hanger. Kept on the back of the door rather than folded in a drawer, the satin stays smooth and the print stays where it was put.

It goes with nothing, with a white slip when the room is cool, and with a morning that needs waking up. Of the peacock robes, this is the hot one.

Sizes run from S to XXXL. It is cut to Asian sizing and runs small, so take one size up from your usual. Between two sizes, take the larger.