A symbol of bohemian style and exoticism Over the years “kaftan” has become the general term for any loosely-fitting robe or tunic. The term is commonly used to describe the various kinds of clothing from Middle Eastern and North African origination (the abaya, djellaba, and burnouse for instance). A true kaftan is an asymmetrically cut, long robe, with full sleeves, either with the neck being open to the floor or fully exposed to the earth or sometimes with buttons; the enormous robe without clearly defined sleeves, commonly known as a kaftan is in fact much closer to an abaya.
Kaftan is a Persian word, while the clothing style is believed to originate from Ancient Mesopotamia. The Ottoman Sultans of the 14th to 18th centuries wore lavishly decorated Kaftans. They were also offered as gifts to high-ranking generals and dignitaries. Kaftans can be made of almost any fabric; most are made from silk, wool, or cotton. They are often bound by a sash. Kaftans are worn by women and men throughout the entire Iranian plateau, through North Africa, and into West Africa. They are typically worn in hot climates, the kaftan’s loose silhouette assists in proper ventilation, thereby decreasing body temperature (though Russians have a similar garment also called a kaftan made from fur).
The fashion of the time was that in Europe in Europe and North America, authentic kaftans were only worn by a few travelers and other eccentrics who brought them home from exotic expeditions as part of the fad for 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 necessary garment for all members of the fashionable elite. They also featured “the beautiful people” in various traditional designs and western versions “Here are the most trendsetting fashions that were ever invented The comfort of seraglio clings to them; the slumber and relaxation emanate from these garments. The classic robes from the Near East, they’re now everywhere in the modern world, inspired by amazing dressmakers and each woman’s discovery in beauty …”
The kaftan was a great fit for the styles of the next decade; providing a simple silhouette that could be beaded as well as heavily pattern-based, or sleek and minimal (as it was in the work that was created by Halston in the late 1970s). Ladies who ate at home were wearing their “kaftan dress,” while at the same time, more traditional designs were being brought into these parts of the United States and Europe by young people who had traveled the new “Hippie trail” from North Africa to Afghanistan. The growing popularity across America of the kaftan–from expensive to mass market and cheap imports – stemmed from its connection with exoticism as well as the easy-to-wear style and comfort of these garments. From the mid-1970s until the past decade, the kaftan disappeared from most runways for high fashion, instead becoming synonymous with the resort-style.
The length was reduced to a micro-mini size, Tom Ford took the kaftan design to the realms of the erotic for Gucci Spring 1996. Fashion designers looking to inject their collections with distinct “oriental” touch and nostalgia for the 60s realized the versatility of this piece. Fashion designers like Temperley as well as Matthew Williamson have continually reanimated the kaftan’s Bohemian beauty, and other designers such as Naeem Khan and Elie Saab have taken the kaftan into the red carpet with elaborately embellished and beaded versions. The bold and graphic shape of the kaftan lets designers create their own unique designs on it, while still maintaining the ease and elegance that make it so popular with women across the world.