The Short History Of Kaftans
A symbol of exoticism and a bohemian life Over time “kaftan” has become the common term used in the fashion industry for any loose-fitting dress or tunic. The term is commonly used to describe a number of different garments that are of Middle Eastern and North African origin (the abaya, djellaba, and burnouse, for example). A true kaftan is a narrow-cut, long robe with full-length sleeves, which are either an open neck or fully wide open down to the ground and occasionally buttoned. extremely voluminous robe with no defined sleeves usually referred to as the kaftan, which is much closer to an abaya.
Kaftan relation
Kaftan is a Persian word, while the clothing style is believed to have originated in Ancient Mesopotamia. The Ottoman Sultans from the 14th to 18th century wore extravagantly decorated and adorned kaftans. They also were awarded as prizes to important dignitaries and generals. Kaftans can be made of almost any fabric; most are made from silk, cotton, or wool and are typically tied with a sash. Kaftans have been worn by women and men all over the Iranian plateau, through North Africa, and into West Africa. Primarily worn in hot climates and with a loose cut, the kaftan helps proper ventilation, therefore lowering body temperature (though Russians have similar clothing, also known as a kaftan composed of fur).
The fashion of the time was that in Europe in Europe and North America, authentic kaftans were rarely worn other than by a select few travelers and eccentrics, who brought them home from exotic adventures in the fashion to Orientalism and Turkish style interiors in 18th and 19th centuries. It was not until the 1950s and early 1960s that this style of dress began appearing in high fashion when it was adapted by French couturiers–including Christian Dior and Balenciaga–as a new form of a loose-fitting evening gown or a robe over matching trousers. By 1966, Vogue described the kaftan as a staple garment for everyone in the fashionable elite. They also featured “the beautiful people” in a variety of traditional imported styles and western variations “Here can be the fastest fashionable styles ever created the elegance of seraglio clings to them; rest and relaxation are a result of the kaftans. The classic robes from the Near East, they’re now appearing all over the modern world, inspired by amazing dressmakers and each woman’s realization of beauty …”
The kaftan was a great fit to the styles that followed in the following decade, it was a simple design that could be beaded or heavily patterned, or sleekly minimal (as seen in the fashions that were created by Halston throughout the 1970s). The women who hosted parties at home wore this “kaftan dress,” while at the same time more traditional styles were being brought to the United States and Europe by young people who had traveled through the emerging “Hippie trail” from North Africa to Afghanistan. The growing popularity across America of the kaftan–from top-end to mass market and imports at a low cost–was due to its association with exoticism as well as the easy-to-wear comfort of these pieces. From the late 1970s to the end of the decade, the kaftan was absent from all the runways for high fashion, instead being an accessory for fashion-forward clothing.
TOM FORD
The length was reduced to a micro-mini size, Tom Ford took the kaftan form to the realm of the sexually edgy to be worn by Gucci in the Spring of 1996. Designers who wanted to infuse their collections with an “oriental” touch and nostalgia for the 1960s rediscovered the versatility of this garment. Fashion designers like Temperley as well as Matthew Williamson have continually reanimated the kaftan’s Bohemian appeal. In contrast, other designers like Naeem Khan and Elie Saab have brought the kaftan to the red carpet with elaborately decorated and beaded versions. The striking and graphic style of the kaftan lets designers create their own unique twist on it, while generally preserving the comfort ease, and elegance that make it so popular with women from all over the world.