MOSCOW
A special fashion show in Moscow on Thursday kicked off an exhibit of modern interpretations of traditional Ottoman clothing.
The exhibition, "Costumes of the Ottoman Empire Through the Eyes of Modern Designers," co-organized by the Turkish Embassy and All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, presents one of the key elements of Ottoman culture -- women's clothes.
The exhibit, starting with models sporting Ottoman costumes to music of the time, is part of events marking the Turkish-Russian Year of Culture and Tourism in both countries.
Speaking at the show’s opening, Turkish Ambassador to Russia Mehmet Samsar said that the designers had worked for several months to create costumes and tried to strictly follow historical patterns, using the fabrics and sewing techniques of the time.
Ottoman fashion blended elements of the various cultures that were part of the empire, he explained.
"The kaftan comes from Central Asia,” he said.
“Kaftans were embroidered with gold threads and decorated with precious and semi-precious stones. Women's clothes of the Ottoman era were a source of inspiration for modern designers and representatives of the fashion industry."
Twenty-one costumes are presented in the show, including 11 provided by the Olgunlasma Institute in Antalya, on the Turkish Mediterranean, and 10 by the Olgunlasma Sabanci Institute in Istanbul, Turkey’s commercial hub.
The show will last through the end of the year.
