Akaftan orcaftan (/ˈkæftæn/;Arabic:قفطان,qafṭān;Persian:خفتان,khaftān;Turkish:kaftan) is a variant of therobe ortunic. Originating inWest Asia, it has been worn by a number of cultures around the world for thousands of years. In Russian usage,kaftan instead refers to a style of men's long suit with tight sleeves.
It may be made ofwool,cashmere,silk, orcotton, and may be worn with asash. Popular during the time of theOttoman Empire, detailed and elaborately designed garments were given to ambassadors and other important guests at theTopkapı Palace.
Variations of the kaftan were inherited by cultures throughout Asia and were worn by individuals inRussia, theMiddle East, andNorth Africa.
Styles, uses, and names for the kaftan vary from culture to culture. The kaftan is often worn as acoat or as an overdress, usually having long sleeves and reaching to the ankles. In regions with a warm climate, it is worn as a light-weight, loose-fitting garment. In some cultures, the kaftan has served as a symbol of royalty.
The origins of the kaftan are uncertain, but it is believed to have first appeared in ancientMesopotamia.[1][2] It is described as a long robe as far as the calves sometimes or just under the knee, and is open at the front and the sleeves are slight cut at the wrists or even as far as to the middle of the arms.[citation needed]
The word "kaftan" derives from the Old Turkic word "ḳaftān" meaning "robe." This word may be derived from the Old Turkic word "kap-ton" meaning "bag garment". "Doerfer, Türk. und Mong. Elementen im Neupersisch p. 3:185 ff." argues that the word is a Turkish loanword into Persian and Arabic.[3]
During the Islamic golden age of theAbbasid era, the cosmopolitan super-culture[clarification needed] spread far and wide to Chinese emperors,Anglo-Saxon coinage, but also inConstantinople too (current dayIstanbul). They were mimicking and imitatingBaghdad culture (capital of the Abbasids).[citation needed]
In the 830s,Byzantine EmperorTheophilus, who fought the Abbasids on the battlefield and built a Baghdad-style palace near theBosporus, went about in kaftans and turbans. Even as far as the streets ofGhuangzhou during the era ofTang dynasty, the Abbasid kaftan was in fashion.[4]
The kaftan became a luxurious fashion,[when?] a richly styled robe with buttons down the front. The Caliphs wore elegant kaftans made from silver or gold brocade and buttons in the front of the sleeves.[5] The Caliphal-Muqtaddir (908–932) wore a kaftan from silver brocade Tustari silk and had his son one made from Byzantine silk richly decorated with figures. The kaftan was spread far and wide by the Abbasids and made known throughout the Middle East and North Africa.[6]
The caftan appears to be the oldest Turkish dress; this costume can be traced as far back as theHun andGöktürk periods.[7] The kaftan was the favourite garment worn in Turkic states of Central Asia, the Turkic Empire in India, theSeljuk Turks and theOttomans.[8] It was the most important component of the Seljuk period and the oldest known examples of this robe are said to have been found in Hun tombs.[9] The costume of the Gokturk period consisted of long kaftans that are closed with a belt at the waist, these kaftans can be observed in Gokturk statues.[10][11]
The Seljuk SultanAhmad Sanjar who ruled from 1097 to 1118 gave 1000 red kaftans to his soldiers.[12] In 1058 as well as the period of the Seljuk SultanMalik-Shah I, the Seljuk Turks wore kaftans and excavations discovered a child's kaftan dating back to the reign of Sanjar-Shah who ruled from 1185 or 1186 to 1187.[13][14][15]
The tiles in theKubadabad Palace depict Turkish figures dressed in kaftans.[16] The palace was built for Sultan Aladdin Kayqubad I who ruled from 1220 to 1237. Furthermore, typical Seljuk depictions from the 11th to the 13th century depict figures dressed in Turkish style kaftans.[17] The kaftan was also worn by the Anatolian Seljuks who had even gifted kaftans to the first Ottoman Sultan, Osman I.[18][19] In connection with the inheritance ofOsman I, the historian Neşri described a kaftan in the list of inherited items: "There was a short-sleeved kaftan ofDenizli cloth".[20]
In an excavation in Kinet in Turkey, a bowl dating back to the early 14th century was found with a depiction of a man wearing what appears to be a kaftan.[21]
Kaftans were worn by thesultans of theOttoman Empire. Decoration on the garment, including colours, patterns, ribbons, and buttons, indicated the rank of the person who wore it. In the first half of the 14th centuryOrhan Ghazi capturedBursa and made it the Ottoman capital. One of the chief specialties of Bursa was gold embroidery among other weaving related specialties, an archive notes that two kaftans made of the finest Bursa gold-brocaded velvet were prepared for the circumcision of Geliboulu Bey Sinan Pasha's two sons in 1494.[22][23]
Ibn Battuta who had visited Anatolia witnessed that a mudarris was wearing a gown embroidered with golden pieces and that a Seljuk Bey gifted a kaftan that was embroidered with golden threads.[24] From the 14th century through the 17th century, textiles with large patterns were used. By the late 16th and early 17th centuries, decorative patterns on the fabrics had become smaller and brighter. By the second half of the 17th century, the most precious kaftans were those withyollu: vertical stripes with varying embroidery and small patterns – the so-called "Selimiye" fabrics.[citation needed]
Most fabrics manufactured in Turkey were made inIstanbul andBursa, but some textiles came from as far away asVenice,Genoa,Persia (Iran),India, and evenChina. kaftans were made from velvet,aba,bürümcük (a type of crepe with a silk warp and cotton weft),canfes,çatma (a heavy silkbrocade),gezi,diba (Persian:دیبا),hatayi,kutnu,kemha,seraser (سراسر) (brocade fabric with silk warp and gold or silver metallic thread weft),serenk,zerbaft (زربافت), andtafta (تافته). Favoured colours wereindigo,kermes, violet,pişmiş ayva or "cooked quince", andweld yellow.[citation needed] Silk or wooled vests embellished with couched gold thread or silk embroidery probably represent the introduction of a Turkish feature into an Arab aesthetic.[25]
Nearly 2,500 caftans and other garments belonging to subsequent sultans from the 15th to the 19th century are preserved in theTopkapı Palace museum.[26] The Topkapı Palace houses 21 kaftan that belonged toMehmed II, 77 kaftan that belonged toSuleiman the Magnificent, 13 that belonged toAhmed I, 30 that belonged toOsman II and 27 that belonged toMurad IV.[27]
| Rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of Tlemcen | |
|---|---|
| Country | Algeria |
| Reference | 00668 |
| Region | Arab States |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2012 (7th session) |
| List | Representative |
| The women’s ceremonial costume in the Eastern region of Algeria: knowledge and skills associated with the making and adornment of the Gandoura, the Melehfa, the Caftan, the Quat and the Lhef | |
|---|---|
| Country | Algeria |
| Reference | 02139 |
| Region | Arab States |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2024 (19th session) |
| List | Representative |
The kaftan has been historically documented to have been worn in Algeria in the beginning of the 16th century and the presence of the kaftan in Algeria dates far back to theRustamid period[28] and is attested during theZirid period in the 10th century as well as theZayyanid period.[29][30] Following the Ottoman tradition, the male kaftan, known as the kaftan of honour, was bestowed by the Ottoman Sultan upon the governors of Algiers who, in turn, bestowed kaftans upon the Beys and members of distinguished families.[31][32] In hisTopography and General History of Algiers,Antonio de Sosa [es] described it as a coloured robe made of satin, of damask, of velvet and silk and having a form that reminded him of the priests' cassocks.[33] The Dey wore the kaftan with dangling sleeves; thekhodjas (secretaries) wore a very long cloth based kaftan, falling to the ankles; thechaouchs (executors of the justice of the dey) were recognized by a green kaftan with sleeves either open or closed, according to their rank. The kaftan was also worn by the janissaries in the 17th and part of the 18th century.[33] It continued to be worn by male dignitaries well into the 20th century.[33]
The female kaftan, on the other hand, evolved locally and derives from theghlila,[34] a mid-calf jacket that combined Morisco and Ottoman influences, but which evolved following a very specific Algerian style from the sixteenth century onward.[35] Between the sixteenth and seventeenth century, middle-class women started wearing theghlila. The use of brocades and quality velvet, the profusion of embroidery and gold threading were not enough to satisfy the need for distinction of the wealthiest Algerians who choose to lengthen theghlila all the way to the ankles to make a kaftan that became the centrepiece of the ceremonial costume, while theghlila was confined to the role of daily clothing.[34] The introduction of gold thread embroidery into North Africa itself is reputed to have been introduced through Turkish rule.[36]
In 1789, the diplomatVenture de Paradis described the women of Algiers as follows:
When they go to a party, they put three or four ankle length golden kaftans on top of one another, which, with their other adjustments and gilding, may weigh more than fifty to sixty pounds. These kaftans in velvet, satin or other silks are embroidered in gold or silver thread on the shoulders and on the front, and they have up to the waistband big buttons in gold or silver thread on both sides; they are closed in front by two buttons only.
Several types of kaftans were developed since then, while still respecting the original pattern. Nowadays, the Algerian female kaftans, including the modernised versions, are seen as an essential garment in the bride's trousseau in cities such asAlgiers,Annaba,Bejaia,Blida,Constantine,Miliana,Nedroma andTlemcen.[37]
The wedding costume tradition of Tlemcen, known aschedda of Tlemcen.,[38] which features the Algerian caftan, was inscribed to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity byUNESCO in 2012, in recognition of its cultural significance.[39]
On December 4, 2024, UNESCO inscribed the ceremonial women's costume of the Eastern region of Algeria: know-how and skills related to the making and ornamentation of the "Gandoura" and the "Melehfa" on itsRepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This element concerns the "Communities of seamstresses, embroiderers and jewelers of the eastern departments of the country specializing in the Gandoura, the Melehfa, the Caftan, the Quat, the Lhef and the ceremonial officiants".[40] On December 11, 2025, the title of the element was updated as follows: The ceremonial women's costume of the Eastern region of Algeria: knowledge and skills related to the making and ornamentation of the Gandoura, the Melehfa, the Caftan, the Quat and the Lhef.[41][42]
| Moroccan Caftan: art, traditions and skills | |
|---|---|
| Country | Morocco |
| Reference | 02077 |
| Region | Arab States |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2025 (20th session) |
| List | Representative |
According to theEncyclopaedia of Islam, the kaftan was introduced into theBarbary States by the Ottomans and spread by fashion as far as Morocco.[43]
According to art historian Rachida Alaoui, the kaftan in Morocco dates back to the end of the 15th century and goes back to the region's Moorish history, which represents the medieval heritage ofAl-Andalus. However, the firstwritten record of the garment being worn in Morocco is from the 16th century, she states.[44]
According toNaima El Khatib Boujibar, however, the kaftan might only have been introduced to Morocco by theSaadi SultanAbd al-Malik, who had lived inAlgiers andIstanbul.[45] Abd al-Malik, who had officially acknowledged Ottoman overlordship throughout his time as ruler of Morocco, dressed in Ottoman fashion, spoke Turkish, reorganised his army and administration in imitation of Ottoman practices and used Ottoman Turkish titles for his officials.[46] The second half of the sixteenth century was a period of Ottoman influence in Morocco during which Ahmad al-Mansur, who was greatly influenced by Ottoman culture, adopted Turkish costumes and customs, he introduced Ottoman fashions of dress, his army adopted Turkish costumes and titles and ambassadors even noted the use of Turkish pottery and Turkish carpets in the Badi Palace.[47][48][49] Aspects of Ottoman culture had been introduced to Morocco during the reign of both Abd al-Malik and Ahmad al-Mansur and Abd al-Malik's brief reign opened a period which continued under his successor of the "Turkification" of Morocco.[50][51]Henri Terrasse asserted that Moroccan embroidery styles are almost all derived from the former regions of the Turkish empire, the introduction of gold thread embroidery into North Africa itself is reputed to have been introduced with Turkish rule.[36][52]
Worn by the dignitaries and women of the palace at first, it became fashionable among the middle classes from the late 17th century onwards.[53]
Today in Morocco, kaftans are worn by women of different social groups and the word kaftan is commonly used to mean a "one-piece traditional fancy dress". Alternative two-piece versions of Moroccan kaftans are calledtakchita and worn with a large belt. The takchita is also known asMansouria which derives from the name of SultanAhmad al-Mansur, who invented Al-Mansouria and the new fashion of wearing a two-piece kaftan.[54]
In 2022, theIslamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) inscribed the Moroccan caftan and the brocade of Fez on its Islamic World Heritage List.[55] On 10 December 2025,UNESCO inscribed the element "Moroccan Caftan: art, traditions and skills" on itsRepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of Morocco's intangible cultural heritage.[56]
InWest Africa, a kaftan is a pullover robe, worn by both men and women. The women's robe is called akaftan, and the men's garment is referred to as a Senegalese kaftan.
A Senegalese kaftan is a pullover men's robe with long bell-like sleeves. In theWolof language, this robe is called ambubb and in French, it is called aboubou. The Senegalese kaftan is an ankle-length garment, and is worn with matchingdrawstring pants calledtubay. Usually made of cotton brocade, lace, or synthetic fabrics, these robes are common throughout West Africa. A kaftan and matching pants are called a kaftan suit. The kaftan suit is worn with akufi cap.[57] Senegalese kaftans are formal wear in all West African countries.
Persian kaftan robes of honour were commonly known askhalat or kelat.[58]
InRussia, the word "kaftan" is used for another type of clothing: a style of men's long suit with tight sleeves. Going back to the people of variousBaltic,Turkic,Varangian (Vikings) andIranic (Scythian) tribes who inhabited today's Russia along with theSlavic population, kaftan-like clothing was already prevalent in ancient times in regions where later theRus' Khaganate andKievan Rus' states appeared.[citation needed]
The Russian kaftan was probably influenced by Persian and/or Turkic people in Old Russia.[59] The word "kaftan" was adopted from the Tatar language.[60] In the 13th century, the kaftan was still common in Russia. In the 19th century, Russian kaftans were the most widespread type of outer-clothing amongst peasants and merchants in Old Russia. Currently in the early 21st century, they are most commonly used as ritual religious clothing by conservativeOld Believers, in Russian fashion (Rusfashion), Russian folk dress and with regards toRussian folklore.[61]
Hasidic Jewish culture adapted a silky robe (bekishe) orfrock coat (kapoteh, Yiddish wordkapote or Turkish synonymchalat) from the garb ofPolish nobility,[62] which was itself a type of kaftan. The termkapoteh may originate from the Spanishcapote or possibly from "kaftan" viaLadino.Sephardic Jews from Muslim countries wore a kaftan similar to those of their neighbours.[citation needed]
InSoutheast Asia, the kaftan was originally worn byArab traders, as seen in early lithographs and photographs from the region. Religious communities that formed as Islam became established later adopted this style of dress as a distinguishing feature, under a variety of names deriving from Arabic and Persian such as "jubah", a robe, and "cadar", a veil orchador.[63]
In the recent era the kaftan was introduced to the West in the 1890s, Queen Victoria's granddaughterAlix of Hesse wore a traditional Russian coronation dress before a crowd which included Western on-lookers, this traditional dress featured the loose-fitting Russian kaftan which was so exotic to Western eyes.[64][better source needed] This was one of the first times a Western woman, a high-status Western woman who had also been seen in fashionable Western dress no less, was seen wearing something so exotic. The traditional Russian kaftan resembles the kaftans worn by the Ottoman sultans; it was in stark contrast to the tight-fitting,corseted dresses common in England at that time.[citation needed]
The kaftan slowly gained popularity as an exotic form of loose-fitting clothing. French fashion designerPaul Poiret further popularized this style in the early 20th century.[citation needed]
In the 1950s, fashion designers such asChristian Dior andBalenciaga adopted the kaftan as a loose evening gown or robe in their collections.[65] These variations were usually sashless. This style had also began appearing as high fashion.[66]
Americanhippie fashions of the late 1960s and the 1970s often drew inspiration from ethnic styles, including kaftans for women and men. These styles were brought to the United States by people who journeyed the so-called "hippie trail".[65] African-styled, kaftan-likedashikis were popular, especially amongAfrican-Americans. Street styles were appropriated by fashion designers, who marketed lavish kaftans as hostess gowns for casual at-home entertaining. The popularity of Kaftans went high in mass market and their cheap imports.[66] Given the materials and the style of the Kaftan, it has shown to symbolize serving as royalty.[67] The types of forms of dresses and kaftans were among the rich.[68]
Diana Vreeland,Babe Paley, andBarbara Hutton all helped popularize the kaftan in mainstream western fashion.[69] Into the 1970s,Elizabeth Taylor often wore kaftans designed byThea Porter. In 1975, for her second wedding to Richard Burton she wore a kaftan designed byGina Fratini.[70]
More recently, in 2011Jessica Simpson was photographed wearing kaftans during her pregnancy.[64][better source needed] American fashion editorAndré Leon Talley also wore kaftans designed byRalph Rucci as one of his signature looks.[71] Beyoncé, Uma Thurman, Susan Sarandon, Kate Moss, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Nicole Richie have all been seen wearing the style.[72][better source needed] Some fashion lines have dedicated collections to the kaftan.
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{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help){{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)Il remonte à la fin du XVème siècle, et les premières mentions de ce vêtement porté par les Marocains datent du XVIème siècle." English:"It dates back to the end of the 15th century, and the first mentions of this garment worn by Moroccans date from the 16th century.
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