rigato

Rigato is an Italian adjective meaning striped or ruled, deriving from rigare, to draw lines. In English-language writing on design and textiles, rigato is used as a loanword to describe surfaces or patterns that feature parallel lines or stripes. In Italian, the more common everyday expression for striped patterns is a righe, but rigato emphasizes the presence of lines on a surface, rather than a broader motif.

In textiles and fashion, tessuto rigato describes fabrics with a regular striped pattern, which may run vertically or horizontally. The stripes can be narrow or wide and may be created by weaving, knitting, or printing. A garment such as a camicia rigata is a striped shirt, a familiar term in Italian fashion contexts. The use of rigato can convey a sense of formality or classic style, depending on stripe width, color contrast, and material.

Beyond fabrics, rigato appears in ceramics, glass, and decorative arts to indicate surfaces with incised, grooved, or lined patterns. A rigato surface may feature fine parallel lines or a ribbed texture, as opposed to a plain or polka-dotted finish. In all cases, rigato design emphasizes linear elements over solid color or non-linear motifs.

See also: striped patterns, a righe, tessuto rigato, and generic terms for patterned textiles and decorative surfaces.