Caftans: From Classical to Camp

This enchanting book, penned by Cameron Silver, reveals why caftans never fade from vogue. Arguably the world’s oldest-known garment, the caftan appears in every era and culture, from the chitons depicted on urns and murals in ancient Greece and Rome to the diaphanous versions wafting down today’s red carpets. They range in style from loungewear to haute couture, and Silver guides us expertly through all the manifestations: “Caftan Couture” presents creations by the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Marc Bohan for Dior, Karl Lagerfeld, Emilio Pucci, Rudi Gernreich, and Oscar de la Renta; “Caftan Stars” showcases caftans worn in films, concerts, and on the red carpet, as well as at home—think Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Natalie Wood, Barbara Streisand, Princess Grace of Monaco, Jacqueline Kennedy, Liza Minnelli, Nina Simone, Billy Porter, and Jennifer Lopez; “Mantans” reveals men’s growing penchant for wearing caftans; “Resort” focuses on the colorful, lightweight versions that are the go-to garments when on holiday; “Caftan Capital” highlights the iconic caftans of Morocco; and “Caftans Today”documents the current embrace of caftans as the ultimate multigenerational, size-inclusive, gender-fluid, cross-cultural, populist items in our wardrobes.