Caftan

The caftan, a wardrobe classic also in 2023, has distant origins and has spanned the centuries without ever going out of fashion. This long tunic appears for the first time in some Persian paintings from the 7th century BC, it is worn throughout Persia by both women and men and is made of silk for the hot season and wool for the cold months. The caftan was later imported into the Ottoman Empire and used by emperors, sultans and nobles, becoming a symbol of power and prestige.

Born as a simple tunic with essential lines, it becomes a refined garment with fine fabrics enriched with precious motifs and embroidery. The expansion of Islam contributed to the progressive spread of the caftan which became part of the traditional Moroccan and Indian costume. At the end of the 19th century, a wave of orientalism overwhelmed the world of art, literature and fashion. The famous couturiers Paul Poiret and Mariano Fortuny, fascinated by the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, redesigned the silhouette of the woman at the end of the century, paving the way for more fluid and geometric cuts. Between the 60s and 70s the caftan was worn in a multicolored and floral hippie version and became a symbol of change and freedom.

We must thank Diana Vreeland, eccentric editor of American Vogue, for the entry of this garment into the Olympus of fashion: returning from a trip to Morocco she wore a large colored caftan during an editorial meeting and from that moment both she and the jet set internationally they can no longer do without it. This garment soon became a global trend and was brought to the catwalk by designers of the caliber of Emilio Pucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Oscar De La Renta. Versatile, comfortable, eclectic, airy and full of symbolism, the caftan changes over the decades, but remains an indispensable piece in the women's summer wardrobe.

Elisa d'Adamo
NP August / September 2023