Textiles from Cyprus

Description

The exuberance of colours in the brilliant light, the splash of red in summer, the gold of autumn, the green of winter and the riot of colour in the spring, combine harmoniously in the clothes, textiles and embroideries of Cyprus. These vivid colours in a fertile setting compose the very essence of the sun-drenched island of Aphrodite. The festive clothes of the people of Cyprus create a rainbow for the eye. A group of women at a village fair or at a wedding enchant with the combinations of green, yellow, blue and red striped skirts, the coloured headscarves, blue glass beads, red flowers, gold chains on their breast, like a fluttering of birds. The women of the town, at church or strolling out on a feast day, dazzle with yellow, orange, green and mauve shiny silk skirts, gold-embroidered jackets, sarkes, lace flowers of many colours, coloured headscarves and fine jewellery – a real display of nobility. The men’s dress is more sober. The dark blue baggy vraka is lightened by the striped waistcoat in country districts, but becomes more serious with the black waistcoat of town dress, while the brightly-coloured waistcoat and multicoloured silk sash of the bridegroom give a special brilliance to the occasion. The male is impressive and grave, the pillar of the home. Embroidery adds colour and decoration to the clothes. Too much, however, does not suit the tradition and the spirit of the country. The decoration is usually discreet, in shades of the material, except for the festive and bridal clothes. The embroidery shows skill and social distinction but does not shout and is not assertive. There is modesty and moderation, without ebullience and excess. However, the decoration is intended to adorn the textiles and embroideries of the trousseau, which is an inviolate institution in Cypriot society, the recognition of every girl.

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