200-year-old embroidered silk shirt to be restored

Fashion has always held a special place in Turkish women's hearts. Before textile factories turned to mass production and we started buying the same designs at the same stores for our everyday attire, women placed great importance on their clothes, personalizing them according to their taste. Now, students and instructors at Tokat Technical School for Girls are redesigning a 200-year-old woman's shirt and are also working on the historic piece to restore and exhibit it.

The shirt features embroidering on red silk and was worn by a local woman two centuries ago on her wedding day. The shirt, which showcases the fashion taste of Anatolian women centuries ago, was donated to the school by the family.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Filiz Vanlıoğlu, the headmaster of Tokat Technical School for Girls, said their school's aim is to keep traditional handcrafts alive and to archive the already existing pieces for future generations.

Offering insight on the 200-year-old shirt, Vanlıoğlu said: "It is very old. It was embroidered with a wire wrapping technique with silver wires. The shirt was sewn by hand not with a machine. It is very delicate. Due to all the time that has passed, some parts of the shirt have faded, and there are some tears here and there. But we will restore the shirt back to its former glory."

Vanlıoğlu also said they will design similar shirts with the same techniques and modernize the design according to today's fashion trends. She also said they want to put on a fashion show with these pieces in the future.