Ikat Chapan or Robe / Coat

Purple silk with big white combs and paisleys, opened onto a lining of bright red florals.

This ikat chapan or robe / coat comes from Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and is silk and cotton. Samarkand was one of the great Silk Road cities, and its workshops were among those known for ikat in rich, saturated color. The outer cloth carries large cream motifs on a violet ground, including comb shapes, teardrop forms and diamond pendants touched with pale blue. Inside is a red printed cotton lining dense with small blue and white flowers, with striped facings of pink, orange and gold along the front. It is 69 inches wide and 49 long.

Generous on the outside, even more generous on the inside.