Velvet waistcoat

An elaborate women’s waistcoat from Alaya, made of deep red velvet and decorated with rich gold embroidery. The motif—characteristic of Asia Minor urban attire—combines spiral ornaments, *beyé* panels with vegetal designs, and applied colour accents (blue, pink, lilac).
The garment reflects the high level of technical craftsmanship of Alaya’s local workshops, where gold thread was used for festive and bridal attire, highlighting the wearer’s social standing and aesthetic taste.

Kindly made available for photography by Iro Kiourmetzoglou.