Fabric From Gaziantep on A Dior Runway

The French fashion house Dior presented its 2023 Spring/Summer capsule collection in a garden full of bloom as the models wended their way through the runway filling our minds and eyes with the fresh feeling of spring. Surrounded by the freshness, the fashion house greeted us with double-layer shorts, backpacks, zippy jackets, and gardening hats that complement the runway's design and project the designer, Kim Jones' love for traveling and outdoor life. The designer joined Dior's elegance with his contemporary, practical perspective and lifestyle appealing to the hearts of the young, fresh-spirited global fanbase.

Among the unique and lively silhouettes, the house also made use of a unique garment, Kutnu. Blinking us down the runway with a sportive look this special garment is actually a traditional garment and comes with its own unique history.

Known as one of the shiniest garments of history, Kutnu is a traditionally made fabric that originates from Gaziantep, Turkey, and dates back past the 16th century. As it requires a special tie-dye process which has to be done by hand before the fabric gets weaved it is an expensive garment and was originally used for making kaftans for the Ottoman Sultans at first. Though it has a rich reputation favored by the upper class of the empire and a long history, the fabric gets lost in the history books and the narrow streets of Antep for a long time. Only rediscovered at a fabric fair in London five years ago it has been a fabric of interest ever since. The fabric and the tradition are now kept alive and presented to the world by the brand 'Kutnia' in Gaziantep, Turkey. The designers for the show visited Gaziantep to be able to watch the tidy process and decide on the color palette of the fabric in person.