IN the world of traditional designer clothes, Riyadh-based Sana Saab is a name to be reckoned with. She has been designing exclusive kaftans and abayas for the past 23 years. Inspired by her surroundings and her love for fashion, she set aside her degree in law to give wings to her passion. She said: “I decided to create a couture line of traditional Arabian clothes for the women of Saudi Arabia as well as for the younger generation who love to wear abayas and kaftans especially during the month of Ramadan.”
The kaftan is basically a loose ankle-length, long-sleeved tunic that spread from Turkey into the Middle East. The usual high round necklines are generally collarless, with a slit front opening fastened by a button and loop. Comfortably wispy and flowing, kaftans exist in a variety of forms, textiles and colors.
In Najd, this dress is known as a “dharaah”, in the Eastern Province it is often called a “dishdasha”, while in Hejaz it is called a “zabun.” The Arabian kaftan is characterized by under-arm gussets which are sections of fabric added to ease body movements. A kaftan not only flatters the figure but it is also extremely versatile. The use of a colorful fabric, embroidery or other embellishments can completely transform the look of a kaftan.
It can be worn during the summer or the winter according to the material it is made of. Cotton and linen are ideal for wearing during hot weather. Because of their inherent qualities, linen and cotton fibers retain the ability to attract and carry moisture even when wet.
Wool, on the contrary, keeps warm and dry and when it is spun and woven into a textile, retains the ability to absorb up to one-third of its own weight in water without feeling damp to the touch.
Sana Saab adorns her couture kaftans with different kinds of embellishments: “I have used all kinds of old and new embroidery in my designs. I usually buy pieces of Bedouin fabric, which I refurbish and then add onto my kaftans. In the past, I have incorporated objects such as coins, stones and painted or embroidered calligraphic designs.”
The custom of sewing objects onto clothes dates back to antiquity. Stitching on sequins and coins, which came later, was a way of displaying wealth and status. Silver beads, balls and coins are commonly appliquéd to traditional Arabian clothes. Arabian embroidery is particularly rich and harmonious. It is characterized by an open chain stitch which is the most common traditional stitch and it can be seen on most old gowns. Embroidered patterns follow geometric lines for the most part and stylized floral patterns.
The older hand-embroidered motifs include palm trees, various plant-like shapes and a design which looks like a lamp or a pomegranate. Nowadays machine embroidery is popular and the stitches are either straight, or zigzag. The use of embroidery or any other embellishment can completely transform a kaftan.
Sana Saab acknowledges that if most of her pieces are designed with a Bedouin feel, she is also influenced by the traditional embroideries of Iraq, Palestine and Turkey. The embroiderers in Bethlehem are famous for their intricate patterns and the use of colorful threads, a medley of orange, purple, fuchsia, dark green, light green, pale pink, yellow as well as gold and silver metal-threads.
Her favorite material is the “Najafi” fabric which is finely handspun baby lambs wool but she also works with “saya” hand-woven cotton, originally from Syria, silk and muslin (a plain-woven sheer cotton fabric). “Depending on the complexity of the design, a couture kaftan can take up to two months to finish,” says Sana Saab.
As the younger generation of Saudi women enjoys wearing kaftans and abayas, kaftans are also becoming increasingly popular on the Western fashion scene: “Today, we see big brands adding kaftans and abayas to their collection. They are of course more Westernized but I am happy that our traditional Arabian clothes are interesting some of the world’s biggest designers,” she said.
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