Blue Brocade Persian Coat

V&A Store House – 18th Brocade Coat

The brocade kaftan (source unknown) – deep indigo blue background with the design in gold yarn. A soft drape. I was particularly interested in the construction techniques of both coats – the stitch work, hems and how the lining (mounted) was stitched into the top fabric. In this case the lining was a soft, loosely woven, printed cotton fabric stitched into the brocade with a mid-blue cotton ribbon – simple running stitches.

I was particularly drawn to the way pattern and structure work together to shape the body, and how these historical textile traditions might inform my own contemporary practice.

I find it interesting how a beautiful textile draped on a hanger can appear so still and inanimate. Without the body, it is limp and shapeless — a surface of colour, pattern and craftsmanship waiting to be experienced. Once worn, however, the textile is transformed. It responds to movement, folds and shifts with the body, becoming full of energy and expression. Together, the garment and the wearer create a relationship where material, movement and identity come together.