The Bayt al-Fakih region of Yemen is known for a form of passementerie needlework using cotton bands. This form of decoration is associated with both daily and festive women's dresses. The town of Bayt al-Fakih is located along pilgrimage and trade routes across the Tihamah plain, about 50 km south of al-Hudaydah and 150 km southwest of the Yemeni capital of Sana`a.
Atlas is the Arabic term for a form of striped satin cloth. There are various forms of atlas. The material is made in yellows and ochres for the Yemeni market. These are colours that are often regarded as being African in origin, rather than the red, white and blue combinations that are more commonly associated with Syrian atlas used for Palestinian or Egyptian garments.
Yahya al-Bishri is a Saudi Arabian fashion designer who uses embroidery to decorate men’s wear. Yahya al-Bishri was born in Abha, southwestern Saudi Arabia, and later moved to Jeddah. He was trained as a fashion designer at the Istituto Marangoni, Milano, Italy and the Paris American Academy, Paris, France. He also spent a period at the fashion house of Jean-Louis Scherrer (Paris).
Adnan Akbar is a late twentieth-century Saudi fashion designer, who uses hand and machine embroidery for decorating women’s clothing. From an early age, Akbar was interested in designing clothing. As a young man, he was sent to a college in Pakistan in order to study political science, but at night he learnt how to embroider and create elaborate designs from local embroiderers.
An Aba is a traditional, and generally a sleeveless, flowing cloak worn by men and women throughout the Arab world and neighbouring countries. When worn by women it may be draped over the head (for example, in Iraq) or worn from the shoulders (in Jordan). Men normally wear it draped over the shoulders.
More...
The World War I Altar Frontal is an appliqué made by injured soldiers during the First World War (1914-1918). It is an example of a rehabilitation embroidery. It belongs to St Paul’s Cathedral, London. It includes an altar frontal and an altar superfrontal.
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is a major decorative arts and design museum in London, England. The V&A was founded in 1852 following the success of the Great Exhibition of 1851 (London), which included many hand and machine made items from around the globe.
Tutintfukt (‘Eye of the sun’) buttons are made of mother-of-pearl. They are by tradition used to decorate the Siwa oasis bridal outfit, in the Western Desert of Egypt. In Siwa, mother-of-pearl is believed to be talismanic, because it reflects light and was thought to attract the sun’s energy, which is then transmitted to the wearer.
The Textile Research Centre Leiden (TRC) is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to the study of textiles and dress. The TRC was set up in December 1991. For many years it was housed in the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, The Netherlands. Since 2009 it is housed in its own premises in the historic centre of Leiden, at Hogewoerd 164.