Modern Egyptian Fashion: Influence from the Past and International Presence
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| Christian Dior Egyptian Collection |
Ancient Egyptians tended to wear very loose clothing that draped over their bodies in a dress-like style for women and a pants-style for men. Today in Egypt, modern fashion resembles this use of light fabrics because the weather is very hot and dry in the country. Various types of linen, some transparent, are used to make this practical style of clothing. Modern Egyptian fashion focuses on comfort, so many pieces have recreated the flowing elements of the Ancient times. Other pieces of modern fashion in Egypt find inspiration from Queen Cleopatra, who was known to have owned several golden accessories because she was royalty. Modern designers use beads, gemstones, and fabric embellishments to replicate the style that the Queen wore so long ago.
Egyptian designers have and continue to make an appearance in international fashion shows, especially in the past couple of years. Not only does ancient fashion influence the country of Egypt, but it has influenced countries worldwide.
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| Example of transparent, loose clothing worn in modern fashion. |
Sources:
Nior, Wayne. "How Ancient Egypt Influenced Fashion." RION Magazine. Last
modified March 2, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2019. https://rionmagazine.com/
2018/03/02/ancient-egypt-influenced-fashion/.
Ricci, Claudia. "Egyptian Fashion Trends In 2018 – Everything You Need To
Know." WTVOX. Last modified July 26, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2019.
https://wtvox.com/fashion/egyptian-fashion/.
I love some of the pictures you included with this post! The last outfit with the loose white clothe actually looks very comfortable. It is interesting to see how modern fashion designers want to draw so much on the ancient roots of their country to inspire new fashion pieces for modern individuals. Although I have done quite a bit of research on Tunisia and the society as a whole, I still could probably not tell you much about the actual fashion tastes of the people. I am not sure what roots the fashion designers may pull on, as Egypt has such a well-known and clearly defined historical fashion and image associated with it already that is just not as prominent in Tunisia. I would love to see if the same practical applications of loose clothe, etc are applied in fashion there!
ReplyDeleteI was drawn to this post immediately from the picture. I love the design, adorned with gold and the Egyptian influence is obvious. Something that is shown in your post, that I’ve noticed in my research too, is a theme among designers of mixing traditional and modern fashion. I think it’s so interesting to see different designers takes on this, especially a name as big as Christian Dior. Something I haven’t looked into though is designers from other countries drawing inspiration from MENA countries so it was interesting to read about international brands using Egyptian motifs. In addition, I liked reading about how modern fashion has similarities to the fashion of ancient Egypt. The second picture really displayed the airy clothes that help in the climate while still being fashionable. Great post!!
ReplyDeleteLike Erica, my attention was caught by the photos in the posts. They are great examples of the ways in which the fashion of Egypt, both of ancient and modern, have influenced international fashion styles and brands. Highlighting the ways in which countries that do not normally get much of the spotlight in the fashion world, yet have great influence, is super important - and is the reason why I really enjoyed your post! This has inspired me to do a little bit of digging on my own to get a glimpse at more examples of how Egyptian styles has influenced the modern fashion world.
ReplyDeleteThis post was very informative about the current state of fashion in Egypt! I already knew Egypt was a very fashionable and diverse country, but the picture is what drew me too this post because it is such an artistic and bold look. Although that was a look on the runway, I liked how you talked about the casual style of clothing Egyptians wear in their day to day lives. It is a very practical thought that most of their clothing would be made of light and loose materials due to the heat and sun, but one I had never thought about before. Egypts emergence into the modern world of fashion has influenced other famous fashion designers, and I think that the spreading of the Egyptian culture to the high fashion world is a trend to watch for in the future!
ReplyDeleteI think it's really interesting to see other designers incorporating Egyptian history and culture into their own designs. The concept of taking inspiration from Egypt seems so random, yet makes so much sense. Egypt and its history seems so iconic and fascinating to the western world, and apparently western designers as well. The structure and design of the top right picture is amazing. I agree that transparent, loose clothing is becoming more prevalent in today's fashion, as designers may be pulling inspiration from several different places, Egypt and the Middle East included.
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