Object NoteThis article of dress was purchased at Kerry Tailor Auction, London (2022), together with two other pieces by the same couturier (
ZI2022.501001.2 UK) and (
ZI2022.501001.1 UK). Since the designer was born in Jerusalem, lived in Syria and then Lebanon. The articles were made between India and UK.
Object History Dr. Reem Tariq El Mutwalli
Dr. Reem Tariq 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. spotted a few examples of Thea Porter creations come up at a Kerry Tailor Auction in 2022. She managed to acquire three for The
Zay
Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Collection. Dorothea 'Thea' Noelle Naomi Porter was a couturier, who was born on December 24, 1927 and died on July 24, 2000.
She was born Dorothea Seale, the daughter of two Presbyterian missionaries in Syria, who later moved to Beirut. She was educated at the Lycée Française in Damascus, Fernhill Manor, and London University's Royal Holloway College. Her brother is the journalist Patrick Seale, and their father, Morris Seale, wrote Koran And Bible (1978), among other books.
Thea married Bob Porter in Beirut, in 1953, and they divorced in 1967. She came to London in 1964 with her eight-year-old daughter Venetia, and first tried to make a living through interior design.
In 1966, she set up her own shop in Greek Street, Soho, selling huge cushions and French, Italian and Turkish fabrics. She imported some kaftans to cut up into cushions, but kaftans were suddenly in fashion themselves. She began to create her own designs from furnishing fabrics, using old braids and trimmings. Thea Porter Decorations became Thea Porter Couture. She opened a shop in New York in 1968, and another in Paris.
The beading, sequins, and embroidery were often done in India, but the clothes were worn in Europe and across the Western world. Princess Margaret, Baby Jane Holzer, Edna O'Brien, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Pete Townsend, Elizabeth Taylor, Pamela Lady Harlech, Veronique Peck (wife of Gregory), Lauren Bacall and Jutta Laing (wife of RD) wore Thea Porter clothes and were her friends.
Object Features This couture labelled (Thea Porter Couture), sheer silk, overgarment (
thawb
Thawb: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thobe
Thobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or tobe
Tobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. or tobe
Tobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women in the Arabian Gulf region. ), is of white ground, printed in small repetitive butterfly motifs.
The general shape follows the style of overgarments (
athwab
Athwāb: (Arabic, sing. thawb), the standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. It is sometimes spelled (thobe), (thaub), or (tobe
Tobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. ).) commonly found in different areas of the Arabian Gulf and Iraq. Composed of a central body panel sandwiched between two wide and full length sleeve panels. The V-neck opening is simple and devoid of any elaborate embellishment.
Patchwork panels of antique (
Ikat
Ikat: (Indonesian and Malay: Chord, thread, bundle; Synonym: atlas
Atlas: (Arabic and Aramaic: atlas – silk; from Greek: Atlas – Character from Greek mythology Synonym: adras, ikat, abr), a resist dyeing technique that involves tying and dyeing yarns or threads before weaving, resulting in a distinct pattern. With strong traditions sporadically across the globe it probably originated independently around the world. , adras
Adras: (Arabic and Aramaic: atlas
Atlas: (Arabic and Aramaic: atlas – silk; from Greek: Atlas – Character from Greek mythology Synonym: adras, ikat, abr), a resist dyeing technique that involves tying and dyeing yarns or threads before weaving, resulting in a distinct pattern. With strong traditions sporadically across the globe it probably originated independently around the world. – silk; from Greek: Atlas
Atlas: (Arabic and Aramaic: atlas – silk; from Greek: Atlas – Character from Greek mythology Synonym: adras, ikat, abr), a resist dyeing technique that involves tying and dyeing yarns or threads before weaving, resulting in a distinct pattern. With strong traditions sporadically across the globe it probably originated independently around the world. – Character from Greek mythology Synonym: atlas
Atlas: (Arabic and Aramaic: atlas – silk; from Greek: Atlas – Character from Greek mythology Synonym: adras, ikat, abr), a resist dyeing technique that involves tying and dyeing yarns or threads before weaving, resulting in a distinct pattern. With strong traditions sporadically across the globe it probably originated independently around the world. , ikat, abr), a resist dyeing technique that involves tying and dyeing yarns or threads before weaving, resulting in a distinct pattern. With strong traditions sporadically across the globe it probably originated independently around the world. ), is a resist dyeing technique that involves tying and dyeing yarns or threads before weaving, resulting in a distinct pattern. With strong traditions in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Central America it probably originated independently around the world. ) silk, Indian sequined velvet, and shocking pink (
tussah
Tussah: tussar silk (Sanskrit: kosa silk, wild silk, synonyms: tushar, tassar, tussore, tasar, tussur, tusser), produced from larvae of several species of silkworms living naturally in tropical or sub-tropical forests. Often confused with raw silk
Raw Silk: (synonym: Sericin) silk fabric with a nubby texture, that hasn’t had sericin (the natural “gum” that protects the fiber) removed. Raw silk is stiff and dull and the sericin tends to attract dirt and odors. but the later hasn’t had sericin removed. Raw silk
Raw Silk: (synonym: Sericin) silk fabric with a nubby texture, that hasn’t had sericin (the natural “gum” that protects the fiber) removed. Raw silk is stiff and dull and the sericin tends to attract dirt and odors. is stiff and dull in comparison. ) silk, resemble stylised depictions of gussets (
bitan
Bīṭān: (Arabic: underarm/armpit, sg. Bāt/ ibt, synonym: ibt, bāt, tkhrāṣah, tnfāyah, bnqīyah), gusset, a triangular or rhomboidal piece of fabric inserted into the seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing. Used for underarms on tunic dresses, side sleeve panels on overgarments (thāwb), and undergarments (ṣarāwl). ) found on more traditional
thawb
Thawb: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thobe
Thobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or tobe
Tobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. or tobe
Tobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women in the Arabian Gulf region. versions, forming the décorative focus of the article.
Main tailoring lines are trimmed with scarlet silk cord and burgundy velvet ribbon bands both at the front and back end. While sleeve openings are edged with matching red silk braid (
gitan
Gītān: (Arabic: qītān: cord or shoe-lace), comes in woven/braided colored silk or metallic thread, used in hemming or embroidery. The letter (qāf) is colloquially pronounced (ga).) and two tassels (‘amayil ) on each side, resembling those found on men’s outer cloaks (‘
ibi
‘Ibī: (Arabic: pl. for ‘Abā: outer cloak, synonyms: ‘Abā, ‘abāyah, ‘abāh, ‘abāt, daffah, bisht or mishlaḥ), public outer cloak worn by both sexes. In time this article of dress evolved and changed in shape, style, and function.).
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