Dress

CultureTurkish
Titles
  • Dress
  • Bindalli
Datelate 19th–early 20th century
MediumVelvet, metallic-wrapped thread, cotton, and tirtil paper
DimensionsOther: 57 7/8 × 43 5/16 in. (147 × 110 cm)
Credit LineGift of Lucien and Sami Toutounji in memory of Jacqueline Michel Souaya Toutounji
Object number2022.372
Not on view

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DescriptionBindalli, meaning “a thousand branches” in Turkish, refers to a type of wedding or formal dress with embroidery of delicate, coiling vegetal
scrolls worn by Muslim and Jewish women. This dark velvet dress with gold floral garlands is typical of this popular style. The flowers and
decorative motifs of the design are cut out of cardboard, which is covered with very thin gold or gold-colored wire wrapped around yellow thread and tacked onto the dress in a technique called dival embroidery. Details are picked out with sequins and thin gold wire twisted into coils.
ProvenanceJacqueline Souaya, c. 1970, until her d. 2019 [1]; by descent to her husband, Lucien Toutounji; given to MFAH, 2022.

[1] Jacqueline Souaya purchased the dress in Turkey c.1970.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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