Object note
This hand-woven cotton undershirt (gomlek) is part of a Turkish clothing group consisting of seven pieces stitched from different materials, all woven and embroidered by hand. The rest of the group includes:
– Silk cloak embroidered with zari ZI500640 TURKEY
– Striped silk jacket embroidered with zari ZI500640a TURKEY
– Felt jacket embroidered with zari ZI500640b TURKEY
–Striped silk pants embroidered with zari ZI500640d TURKEY
– Linen throw ZI500640e TURKEY
– Woolen apron ZI500640f TURKEY
Object History
Over 15 years of traveling around Turkey, agent Jade Bréval bought these pieces from shops, small villages, and from people she has met during her travels.
Object features
This white undershirt is made of hand-woven cotton on a loom in a fairly open crepe weave. These types of undershirts were commonly worn in many regions, such as the Kilis region in southern Turkey, and the Thrace region in the southeast of the Balkans, which include northeastern Greece, southern Bulgaria and European Turkey.
The color of this undershirt is creamy white, it has two blue lines down the front and back of the garment, as well as down the underside of the sleeves. The circular neckline and sleeve openings are embellished with handcrafted crochet, in a simple geometric and floral design.