Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

Icherisheher has turned into a showcase of Azerbaijan's rich clothing traditions as Baku hosted a broad cultural programme marking National Costume Day, bringing together historical garments, contemporary collections, traditional crafts, music, dance and academic discussions.

The programme covered several venues in the historic centre, including the Baku House of Photography, Gosha Gala Square and the Shirvanshahs' Palace Complex. Throughout the day, visitors were able to explore different periods of Azerbaijani clothing culture, regional characteristics and contemporary approaches to national dress.

The programme began at the Baku House of Photography with a scientific-practical seminar devoted to the history and development of Azerbaijani clothing. Speakers discussed the influence of the Safavid heritage, the formation of national dress and its ethnographic characteristics. Presentations by Gunay Chapay, Aytan Asadova and Gunel Rahimli examined different historical and academic aspects of Azerbaijani national costume.

The seminar programme was followed by the presentation of the exhibition "People of a Century."

Gosha Gala Square hosted a large exhibition of Azerbaijani national costumes. Among the displays were historical garments used in the film "Taghiyev", as well as a collection illustrating the clothing traditions of the historical period depicted in the film.

National dances, ethnic costume and music presentations were also held at the square, while residents of Icherisheher took part in a presentation of national dress.

The programme also gave contemporary Azerbaijani designers an opportunity to present their work. Collections by Mehriban Khalilzade, Nargiz Surkhayeva and Gunay Hasanli were shown during the event. Visitors could also watch the traditional production process of kelaghayi and attend the "Araxchin in My Hands" master class. Students of the Azerbaijan State Children's Philharmonic performed national dances as part of the programme.

The evening events moved to the Shirvanshahs' Palace Complex, where a ceremonial procession and opening programme were followed by a performance by a folklore ensemble, national dances and a series of costume presentations.

Designer Gulnara Khalilova, known for her work promoting Azerbaijani national dress, presented her collection, while Gulzada Abdulova presented her "From the Past to the Present" collection.

The programme also looked beyond Azerbaijan, with representatives of foreign countries presenting traditional costumes and dances from different parts of the world.

The event concluded with the multimedia performance "The Breath of Baku."

Azerbaijani national costume has developed over centuries and reflects the country's history, geography, social structure and artistic traditions. Official cultural sources note that archaeological finds, including bronze needles and awls dating to the Early Bronze Age, indicate that people living in the territory of present-day Azerbaijan were making clothing thousands of years ago. Remains of silk garments dating to the fifth and sixth centuries have also been found in catacomb burials in Mingachevir.

The 16th and 17th centuries were an important period in the development of Azerbaijani clothing. Historical research cited by Azerbaijan's official cultural portal shows that a distinct national clothing tradition had taken shape by this period. Clothing could indicate a person's age, occupation and social position, while elaborate headwear played a particularly important role. Safavid-era headgear changed in form over the course of the 16th century and was particularly widespread in cities including Tabriz, Nakhchivan and Shamakhi.

Regional diversity became especially visible in later centuries. Azerbaijan's historical and ethnographic regions, including Guba-Khachmaz, Absheron, Lankaran-Astara, Shamakhi, Karabakh, Nakhchivan-Ordubad, Gabala-Oghuz, Sheki-Zagatala, Ganja and Shamkir-Gazakh, developed their own local characteristics in clothing while retaining a common national tradition. Differences could be seen in fabrics, colours, ornamentation and details of dress.

The materials used in traditional clothing were also diverse. Women's garments were commonly made from silk and velvet, while men's clothing was often produced from woollen fabrics and homespun materials. Fabrics such as ganovuz, darayi, zarbaft, khara, satin, velvet, taffeta and tirma were widely used. Traditional garments included items such as the chukha, arkalig, chepken and various forms of headwear.

Headwear and accessories were an important part of the visual language of Azerbaijani dress. Women's headwear included decorated scarves and arakhchins, while jewellery and elaborate ornaments were also used as part of traditional attire. Kelaghayi has remained one of the best-known elements of Azerbaijani clothing culture and its traditional art and symbolism were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.

The National Costume Day programme in Icherisheher brought these different layers of heritage together in one setting. Historical garments, regional traditions, traditional crafts and modern interpretations of national dress were presented alongside music, dance and scholarly discussions, showing how Azerbaijani clothing continues to be studied, preserved and reinterpreted today.