Category: Asia

katazome (stencil printing)

18th century, 19th century, ancient, Asia, K, P, S, term definition

A traditional Japanese method for printing designs onto fabric using a stencil and paste-resist dyes.

agal

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, A, Asia, term definition

An agal is a rope made from animal hair which wraps around a keffiya (square cloth) on the head and is worn typically by Bedouin men.

Clothing during the Byzantine era was strictly regulated based on identity, status, rank, and gender. Visual and literary sources from the period provide a glimpse to Byzantine court and upper-class dress.

burqa

14th century, 15th century, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Asia, B, term definition

An outer garment worn by Muslim women that covers the entire body, often with a cutout or mesh at the eyes.

kaftan

14th century, 15th century, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, Asia, C, K, term definition

The kaftan (also caftan) is an ancient garment, which originated in Ancient Persia but then spread across Central and Western Asia. It is a kind of robe or tunic that was worn by both men and women. Kaftans are still worn today in different ways.

Beetle-Wing Embroidery in Nineteenth-Century Fashion

18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Asia, thematic essays

Beetle-wing embroidery: a colonialist fantasia and exotic fad in nineteenth-century England and America. Fig. 1 - Collector unknown (British). Beetles, before 1951....

The Authentication of Chinese Culture in African Fashion

2000-2009, 2010-2019, 21st century, Africa, Asia, thematic essays

Since the mid-20th century, relations between Africa and China have grown stronger leading to a significant change in the mutual adaptation of fashion between both nations. A 21st century, Sino-African style has been formed by the intercultural meshing of traditional garments, textiles, and motifs.

ikat

19th century, 20th century, Asia, I, term definition

Ikat is a textile patterning technique in which the warp or weft yarns are dyed prior to dyeing and weaving the actual fabric.

1995 – Vivienne Tam, “Mao Collection” Dress

1990-1999, 20th century, Asia, garment analysis

In November 1994, Vivienne Tam presented her spring 1995 collection, which would become one of the most notable of her career. Known as the “Mao collection”, it comprised of t-shirts, dresses, and skirt suits featuring comical images of Mao Zedong (1893-1976), the founding father of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and former chairman of the Communist Party of China.

Gucci Strikes Red: China’s Love Affair with Gucci

2000-2009, 2010-2019, 21st century, Asia, thematic essays

Gucci has taken a thoughtful, creative approach to engaging Chinese consumers. While other brands have fallen into caricature and suffered for it, Gucci has become a beloved and dominant luxury brand in China.