Couturier Brings Kurdish Touch to Wider Arab Audience

[Aslan]

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish clothes are inspired by the diverse natural environment of the Kurds and influenced by their modest traditional lifestyles, says Hekmet Daoud, a designer from the Syrian Kurdish city of Qamishli whose creations regularly feature on Arab soap operas.

"Clothes are not only a social and moral necessity; clothes are a cultural mirror and a humanitarian necessity," Daoud said in an interview with Rudaw.

"The Kurds live on a diverse and wide geographical region that has a colorful nature. This has contributed to making Kurdish attire beautiful and colorful – they are the beauty and colors derived from nature," Daoud says.

"The modesty of the Kurdish costumes reflects the modest lives of the Kurdish men and women,” he adds, noting that Kurds can recognize each other’s geographical and regional origins by the clothes they wear.

With his unique designs, Daoud succeeded in introducing the Kurdish culture of Qamishli to Damascus fashion houses, and from there to a wider audience through Arab soap operas.

The 67-year-old Kurdish couturier has designed costumes for many Arab drama series, including Bab al-Hara. He has received many national and international awards for his presentations.

"Kurdish costumes reflect their connection to nature -- colors, values and God,” he says, noting that the common use of wool in Kurdish male attire is because “working as a shepherd is a unique feature of Kurdish society.

“This profession has led the Kurdish men to use wool in their costumes and adopt it as a part of their own culture.”

He adds that religious beliefs also play a part in fashion, noting that clothes worn by members of the Yezidi sect have their own unique identity.

“For example, the number of knots in their belts show one's nearness to God,” Daoud says, adding that on television “I use costumes as an artistic value to draw the viewers closer to the characters in the dramas."

Daoud says that, "Damascus has seen many civilizations, and this is reflected in the attire of the people. Many of those who worked as weavers, tailors, and tanners were Kurds. So, it is little surprise that we see similarities with Kurdish costumes.”

[Shirko]

Great article, this is something that the feminists need to understand

"Clothes are not only a social and moral necessity; clothes are a cultural mirror and a humanitarian necessity," Daoud said in an interview with Rudaw.

"The Kurds live on a diverse and wide geographical region that has a colorful nature. This has contributed to making Kurdish attire beautiful and colorful – they are the beauty and colors derived from nature," Daoud says.

"The modesty of the Kurdish costumes reflects the modest lives of the Kurdish men and women,” he adds

[Piling]

I would be happy if all Kurds give up their western clothes and adopt the costume of their grand-fathers/daughters. They were nice. Do it, please, and send us pics.

[Anthea]

I have seen many men and women from South Kurdistan wearing traditional clothing, especially at wedding at parties

I have never ever seen a Kurd from Turkey wear Kurdish clothing

[Piling]

Old people do wear them, in N. Kurdistan. And youth during feasts and festival, but that's all.

In 1992, I was in Diyarbakir, and next to the mosque, I saw a man, not old, quite 30, in S. Kurdish clothes. Among all the other Kurds, in ordinary costumes, he was so elegant, like a prince.

He a refugee from Mardin Camp and the first S. Kurd I met.

[Shirko]

I would be happy if all Kurds give up their western clothes and adopt the costume of their grand-fathers/daughters. They were nice. Do it, please, and send us pics.

Piling you are killing us with your obsession with "Western" things. Do you have an inferiority complex? Please dont tell me that the clothes that are mass produced in the world are all Western. Do you mean to tell me that the west invenetd pants, shoes and shirts? Those things were worn by people all arod the world, when Westerners were still using amimal furs, and another thing. The US is not Western, because unlike France, were they send immigrants to the gettos, and never consider them as real French, America is made up of peope fron all over the world and they are equal. And you guys got your butts kicked by the Americans a long time ago, so stop trying to take credit for American innovation. America is truely free and is universal, France is NOT the same, or even Europe in general, America is not Europe.

[Piling]

Don't be silly. Of course, international style of clothes now (skirt, trousers, short dress of skirt) come from Western. It had been adopted from China and Japon to Ottoman Empire during the beginning of 20th century.

Each time something is called Westerner, you answer it is a lie Feyli_Kord call that 'another sign of influence and oppression and imperialism' of Western in Middle-East. HE and YOU are obsessed by Western influence and bad ideology, and all that stuff… You have a serious trouble of self identity.

Do you mean to tell me that the west invenetd pants, shoes and shirts? Those things were worn by people all arod the world, when Westerners were still using amimal furs, and another thing.

I would like you show me a picture of a Paleolithic Hunter from Jarmo with cravat, or denim or or Nike shoes

[Shirko]

Each time something is called Westerner, you answer it is a lie Feyli_Kord call that 'another sign of influence and oppression and imperialism' of Western in Middle-East. HE and YOU are obsessed by Western influence and bad ideology, and all that stuff… You have a serious trouble of self identity

You are the one with the identity problems not us, you have to add the west to every topic. And I dont answer each time, I only answered this time and the other time before, when you made the crazy comment that the West is responsible for the tv, phone and Roj Bash forum. Technology is from the accumilated discoveries of man since the very beggining, nobody can claim that they own it or take credit for it, like you. If the first TV was not built in the US, it would of eventualy been built somewhere else.

[Piling]

Youvare the one with the identity problems on us, you have to add west to every topic. And I dont answer each time, I only answered this time and the other time before, when you made the crazy comment that the West is responsible for the tv, phone and Roj Bash forum.

hopeless…

[Shirko]

Im not hopeless, you are

[Anthea]

The US is not Western, because unlike France, were they send immigrants to the gettos, and never consider them as real French, America is made up of peope fron all over the world and they are equal.

Ghettos are NOT intentionally built sections of cities, they are areas populated predominately by only one ethnic group, be they Hispanic, black or Italian etc that have become run-down due to it's inhabitants.

In America they have many such ghettos with violence and drug crimes often causing an area to ghettoise. It only takes a few criminals or drug dealers to move into a social housing project for it to go downhill very fast.

People living in ghetto estates in England find it more difficult to find jobs because employers do not want them. They are often not even given a chance. I do not blames the employers entirely, because our labour laws makes it almost impossible to dismiss someone, and to combat that most companies will only employ people on yearly contracts. That has the knock-on effect of lack of commitment by staff and poor service or low production rates.

Anyway American cities suffer greatly from those living in segregated violent ghettos

[Piling]

America is made up of peope fron all over the world and they are equal.

Lol, sure. No difference between a WASP and an Afro-American or an Hispanic. In fact there was never any racism in America, especially in Southern States. They don't even know what 'niggers' and 'slaves' mean.

And there are absolutely no social or racial ghettos in American cities, all places are equal : Mexicans, Blacks, Jews, and White Protestants live together, in the same areas… And Natives are so happy since the arrival of all these Spanish, English and French guests.

Wonder why USA need to create positive discrimination policy…

[Shirko]

Just other day, I was talking with this guy from India, and he was telling me how he was with his wife and kid and were mistreated on a public bus in London. Sure racisim exista in America, but its not that bad and all immigrants have a chance to succeed, unlike your racists countries. So fix your countries first, then can you tell them how to do it in Kurdistan.

[Piling]

Do you live in USA ?

[Shirko]

Do you live in USA ?

What do you think? No I live in Uganda, but I pretend to know a lot about the USA. And please, lets stop going off topic.