Banyan

The loosely cut style of this banyan (a man's informal robe) is based on that of the Japanese kimono, although the word itself is derived from the Indian word, banya, for a merchant or trader. Robes like this became popular in England and Holland from the mid-17th century, and were often made up of imported Indian chintz fabric, as in this case. Banyans could also be made of Chinese, or sometimes French, silk. Their generically 'oriental' air was part of a wider taste for exotic designs that formed part of the Chinoiserie style.