A symbol of bohemian style and exoticism In recent years, the term “kaftan” has become the most popular term used to describe any loose-fitting dress or tunic, which is often used to refer to many different kinds of garments with Middle Eastern and North African origination (the djellaba, abaya, and burnouse as an example). A true kaftan can be described as a narrowly cut, long robe that has sleeves that are full, whether with an open neck or fully open to the floor and sometimes buttoned. large, voluminous dress with no sleeves commonly called”a kaftan” actually close to the abaya.
Kaftan is a Persian word, and the clothing style is believed to have originated in Ancient Mesopotamia. The Ottoman sultans from the 14th to the 18th century were adorned with lavish kaftans; they were also awarded as prizes to important generals and dignitaries.
It is made of almost any fabric. Most are made of silk, wool, or cotton, and are typically adorned by the sash. Kaftans are worn by women and men all over the Iranian plateau, through North Africa, and into West Africa. Primarily worn in hot climates the loose silhouette of the kaftan assists in proper ventilation, thereby lowering body temperature (though Russians have a similar style of clothing called a Kaftan composed of fur).
In Europe in Europe and North America, authentic kaftans were rarely worn, unless by a small number of people who were travelers or eccentrics, who brought them home from exotic expeditions as part of the fad of Orientalism and Turkish-style interiors during the early 19th century. 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 every member of the fashionable class and photographed “the beautiful people” in various imported traditional styles and western variations “Here can be the fastest enduring fashions ever invented The elegance of seraglio clings to them; rest and relaxation are a result of the kaftans. The classic robes that were worn by the Near East, they’re now being seen all over the contemporary map–the inspiration of incredible dressmakers and every woman’s realization of beauty …”
The kaftan style was well suited to the fashions of the next decade; being a simple shape that could be beaded, heavily patterned, or sleek and minimal (as was seen in the designs made by Halston throughout the 1970s). Women who were entertaining at home wore a “kaftan dress,” while simultaneously, more traditional designs were being introduced to Europe and the United States and Europe by young people who had traveled through the emerging “Hippie trail” from North Africa to Afghanistan. The popularity within America of the kaftan, ranging from the high-end to mass market and even cheap imports–resulted from its exotic connotations as well as the simple comfort of these pieces. From the mid-1970s through to the past decade, Kaftan was no longer seen on the majority of runways for high fashion, instead becoming synonymous with fashion-forward clothing.
Shortened to micro-mini length, Tom Ford took the kaftan form to the realm of the erotic to be worn by Gucci in Spring 1996, as designers seeking to give their collections an “oriental” touch and nostalgia for the 1960s came back to the versatility of the kaftan. Fashion designers like Temperley and Matthew Williamson have continually reanimated the Kaftan’s Bohemian beauty, and other designers such as Naeem Khan, and Elie Saab have taken the kaftan to the red carpet in elaborately embellished and beaded versions. The bold and graphic shape of the kaftan gives designers the opportunity to put their own style on it, all the while still maintaining the comfort and modesty that makes it so popular with women from all over the world.