By the turn of the 19th-century in Japan, the high-ranking oiran had established themselves as major trendsetters in women’s fashion. Their typical attire seen by the public was a luxurious silk kimono and obi belt, embroidered with a design associated with their brothel house or their given name, with styled hair decorated with accessories made from valuable materials like white-tortoiseshell, bone and gold lacquer.

Geishas, who were performers that did not partake in sexual relations with their clients, dressed more simply in a refined elegance. Still, they followed fashion trends in their own way, as seen in this kakemono portrait of a geisha completing her outfit with an obi embroidered with a dragon claw and orb design.