The Art of Arabian Costume

Description

LebanonPostcard presents the book: The Art of Arabian Costume – A Saudi Arabian Profile by Heather Colyer Ross
Empire Publishing Service – Hardcover book with protege 31x26cm, 189 pages.

Few in the world are unacquainted with Arabian costume to some degree, but misconceptions about its true nature are many. With the publication of The Art of Arabian Costume, this situation is now remedied. For the first time, it is possible to see the brilliance of color, variety of form, and ingenuity of decoration to be found in costumes of the Arabian Peninsula.

In this book, the influence of extensive trade, stretching back thousands of years, highlights the differences as well as the similarities to be found from region to region, without obscuring the unique qualities of garments from this area. Indeed the subject can rightly be described as an intricate patchwork, the components of which are scrupulously examined.

Aided by 140 color illustrations and over 50 line drawings, the reader is led through the fascinating story of traditional Arabian costume and how it was developed to suit the needs of the hardy Bedouin. The chapter on Regional Styles demonstrates how each area has developed specific characteristics which may owe as much to the availability of certain materials as to external influence from closeby.

The book is not confined to costume alone but explores the subject of beauty culture, jewelry, and related arts and crafts. Extensive appendices reveal the importance of embroidery and advise on how to care for these magnificent garments. As a welcome bonus, there is a comprehensive Glossary of Arabic Words and a List of Technical Terms compiled by the author, with the assistance of distinguished linguists, in both Arabic and English.

With development burgeoning in the Arabian Peninsula, it is timely that The Art of Arabian Costume records the splendor of rapidly vanishing traditional
costume, and will provide an invaluable source of inspiration to the fashion-conscious of the world.

Front cover: The splendid traditional robes of Central Arabia are in complete harmony with the awesome grandeur of the Escarpment. These fabulous rocks of Jabal Tuwaiq – a range of low mountains – extend along a west-facing crescent north and south of Riyadh. Here, not far from Riyadh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a woman walks in this timeless desert, wearing a Najdi black tulle thawb aglitter with sequins and vibrant-coloured silk.

LebanonPostcard will be responsible for sending the book you order, through a fast courier with a tracking number, guaranteeing reception of the package. The book may take between two and five days to arrive, according to the country it is sent to.