Damascus-SANA
Syria is rich in ancient textile industries, some of which have been on the throne of quality and luxury since ancient times, such as the Damascene caftan, which, despite its modest fame, won a prominent place among its peers in other countries and won important prizes during its participation in international exhibitions.
The caftan is a traditional folk costume that appeared in many cultures many centuries ago. It is often characterized by its long sleeves and reaches the ankles according to each culture. Wool, silk and cotton are used in its manufacture. The countries of the Maghreb, such as the Moroccan and Algerian caftans and other countries, wore it by men and women in ancient cultures, but women are unique in their clothing Today, it was known as a symbol of kings and sultans in some cultures, and today there is what is known as the modern style.
In Syria, this rare industry is still present today. In the Hanania neighborhood in old Damascus, there is the home of the eighty-year-old Damascene woman, Sophia Al-Ashqar, who tells Sana the story of her creativity in making the Damascene caftan that she inherited from her father, and her love for elegance and beauty led her to professionally designing caftans. Her story began with sewing the first dress for her little doll when she was ten years old.
With time, Sophia Al-Ashqar’s brilliance increased in the design and manufacture of the kaftan, to get twice an international medal in the art of people’s fashion at the International Exhibition of Folk Fashion, which was held in Mexico City, Mexico in 1997. The order of her third victory over 123 models presented from 71 countries was awarded by the Institute of Peoples’ Fashion Studies in Chicago in 1994, the second prize for its design and development of the Syrian caftan, which combines the past and the present and has become at the forefront of the dress that appeals to women in the West.
In the midst of that ancient Shami house, which smells of the past and its fragrance, the finest and most luxurious pieces are produced from the Damascene kaftan, which is woven with many types of precious fabrics, including velvet, silk, Aghabani, and brocade. Who spoke about her own style of embroidering the Damascene caftan with lines, colors and shapes to keep it in line with the latest fashion trends.
Al-Ashqar says that she relied on decorating it on colored silk threads and golden and silver reed threads and placing stones in proportional rows and in shiny colors of different shapes and sizes, which requires extreme accuracy in its placement to add elegance and distinction that draws attention, indicating that after designing the kaftan, the stage of detailing begins, then drawing and embroidery, to be washed and ironed, and finally Placing the shining stones to produce a unique piece of art of great mastery that blends the spirit of the craftsman, the artist and the creator.
The great joy that the Damascene woman feels when she sees the kaftan in its final stage, forgets the fatigue of manual work and makes her proud that the long years she spent in this industry, which reached 45 years, have resulted in presenting a brilliant and unique Syrian design to the whole world. It became necessary to speed up the production of the piece and introduce new designs and other new features.
Among the funny stories that Al-Ashqar tells about the splendor and splendor of the Damascene caftan is that many years ago, a girl in Paris searched for a wedding dress and did not like anything. Although she is eighty, she still has ideas for unique designs that make the Syrian kaftan in perpetual brilliance.
Bilal Khazem-Noor Youssef and Nadine Qara