Embellished satin dress – Yemen

Object Note  

Part of a lot along with another item (ZI2018.500256.2 YEMEN), also in the collection.  

Object History  

This piece was purchased by Dr. Reem Tariq

Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the Levant Arab region specifically in Lebanon.

El Mutwalli Dr. Reem Tariq

Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the Levant Arab region specifically in Lebanon.

el Mutwallī: Founder (CEO) of the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a public figure, speaker and author. An expert curator and consultant in Islamic art and architecture, interior design, historic costume, and UAE heritage. from a Sana’a-based Yemeni independent dealer, Zakariya Ahmed, in 2018, to be added to and enhance The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative collection. 

Mr. Ahmed is an antique and silver dealer from Sana’a, Yemen and a close supporter of The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period.. Like many others, he reached out to the team shortly after the launch of The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period.’s digital archive in 2019. Over the years, he has sourced many items, especially from Yemen and the KSA, for the collection. 

Object Features  

This is a woman’s dress (qamis

Qamīṣ: (Possibly late Latin: Camisia – Linen Undergarment; Synonym: Kamiz), a traditional loose fitting long tunic or shirt worn by both men and women in South and Central Asia and the Arab world. Typically extending below the waist it is usually paired with a pair of trousers.

) from Yemen. Constructed of a plain black (satin Sātin: (Arabic: Zaytuni: from Chinese port of Zayton in Quanzhou province where it was exported from and acquired by Arab merchants), one of the three basic types of woven fabric with a glossy top surface and a dull back. Originated in China and was fundamentally woven in silk.) fabric, possibly synthetic, the piece features embroidered embellishment in the front and back (yoke Yoke: (Synonym: Bodice_Yoke), a structured pattern fitted at the shoulders defining the structure of women’s garments. Introduced in c. 1880s it defines the transition between the upper and lower parts of the garments and can now be found stitched-in where the blouse is separated from the skirt by a horizontal seam. ), fall hemline, cuffs and the side of the skirt. It also features large, loose square-shaped sleeves.  

The embroidery on the field is primarily in a combination of metallic coloured lurex and silk floss Floss: (Old French: flosche – nap of velvet), is a type of silk fibre obtained from the cocoons of wild silkworms. It is characterized by its long, fluffy fibers that are not tightly woven, making it ideal for use in various textile applications such as embroidery, lace-making, and sewing. threads. With a small round neckline and slivered opening down the front centre of the yoke Yoke: (Synonym: Bodice_Yoke), a structured pattern fitted at the shoulders defining the structure of women’s garments. Introduced in c. 1880s it defines the transition between the upper and lower parts of the garments and can now be found stitched-in where the blouse is separated from the skirt by a horizontal seam. , the piece is decorated around the front opening, and over the shoulders in rows of V-shaped panels in green, red, beige and yellow floss Floss: (Old French: flosche – nap of velvet), is a type of silk fibre obtained from the cocoons of wild silkworms. It is characterized by its long, fluffy fibers that are not tightly woven, making it ideal for use in various textile applications such as embroidery, lace-making, and sewing. using primarily (whip_stitch

Whip_stitch: (Synonym: Overcast_stitch), one of the basic stitching techniques in embroidery with simple stitches are worked on the smallest area of the base material as possible. It is often used for hemming and closing unfinished edges.

) and (couching

Couching: (Latin: collocare – Place together), in needlework and embroidery couching is a technique in which yarn or other materials are laid across the surface of the ground fabric and fastened in place with small stitches of the same or a different yarn

) style embroidery. It also has a small metal zip attached to the front opening for fastening.  

Amongst the thin stripes, there are three narrow panels of chain link pattern banners in yellow and gold lurex, while a panel with repeats of a circle patterns adorn the outer edge of the neckline. 

Two small patterns of a bird and a bouquet in lurex flanks the neck adornment, while a wide panel of vertically parallel stripes in colourful floss Floss: (Old French: flosche – nap of velvet), is a type of silk fibre obtained from the cocoons of wild silkworms. It is characterized by its long, fluffy fibers that are not tightly woven, making it ideal for use in various textile applications such as embroidery, lace-making, and sewing. thread adorn each side of the yoke Yoke: (Synonym: Bodice_Yoke), a structured pattern fitted at the shoulders defining the structure of women’s garments. Introduced in c. 1880s it defines the transition between the upper and lower parts of the garments and can now be found stitched-in where the blouse is separated from the skirt by a horizontal seam.  and across the shoulders. Each panel is bordered with a series of triangular repeats with a floral bouquet separator. 

The panel continues at the back of the qamis

Qamīṣ: (Possibly late Latin: Camisia – Linen Undergarment; Synonym: Kamiz), a traditional loose fitting long tunic or shirt worn by both men and women in South and Central Asia and the Arab world. Typically extending below the waist it is usually paired with a pair of trousers.

along the sides of the yoke Yoke: (Synonym: Bodice_Yoke), a structured pattern fitted at the shoulders defining the structure of women’s garments. Introduced in c. 1880s it defines the transition between the upper and lower parts of the garments and can now be found stitched-in where the blouse is separated from the skirt by a horizontal seam. , reflecting the front, although the centre of the qamis

Qamīṣ: (Possibly late Latin: Camisia – Linen Undergarment; Synonym: Kamiz), a traditional loose fitting long tunic or shirt worn by both men and women in South and Central Asia and the Arab world. Typically extending below the waist it is usually paired with a pair of trousers.

is plain, unlike the front. The cuffs of the sleeves are adorned with a wide central panel of zigzag pattern with repeats of floral bouquets at the centre in silver, gold and green. This panel is flanked by a series of thin, horizontally parallel rows of straight lines on top and bottom, followed by a scalloped banner on the top.  

A square patch of an identical fabric is embroidered with an arched pattern, coloured striped frame and base and floral bouquets at its centre and corners in green is (appliquéd) to one of the sides of the skirt. The fall hemline of the skirt has two layers of thin, horizontally parallel striped panels with silver zigzag edges. The panels are set far apart from each other, creating a wide negative space in between.  

Although not much is known about the piece, it could be presumed that it possibly originates in the Raymah region of Yemen and is possibly a modern version of the traditional garments of the area. Completely unlined, the piece is thoroughly machine-embroidered and machine-stitched.