Shafaq News / There is no controversy that Kurdish folk costumes, particularly Kurdish women's clothing, are one of the most beautiful and admirable costumes in the world. For the Kurds, costumes represent their rich civilization and history that extends for thousands of years.

The sight of Kurdish fashion textiles in al-Sulaymaniyah markets gives joy and pleasure. It unites the entire communities and nations of the inhabitants of this culturally rich region.

Kurdish costumes are unique, diverse, and special: a product of the mountain environment and its breathtaking nature, in addition, it is financially expensive and requires a variety of supplies and needs to be made.

Havin Ahmed, who works in a shop selling women's Kurdish clothing fabrics in al-Sulaymaniyah, told Shafaq News agency that each region has its own uniforms, “Here in Kurdistan there are two costumes from two different regions, the first is the Bahdinan region which includes Duhok governorate with all its districts, while the second is the Soran region which includes Erbil, al-Sulaymaniyah, and Halabja. Although there is a difference in terms of clothing designs in both regions, there is also a great convergence in the overall design."

The Kurdish people still brag about wearing their folkloric costumes despite the manifestations of civilization and the modern clothes' invasion of the market. Whoever visits any market in al-Sulaymaniyah will notice huge shops dedicated to selling Kurdish clothes, with a high turnout, especially on holidays and national events such as the Nowruz holidays.

The dominant feature of these clothes is their colors, embroidery, and decoration with flowers and shiny threads, and ironically, the Kurdish people do not yet have a fashion house, and the only thing that has preserved the permanence of the Kurdish heritage in the field of clothing and folk costumes, is the popular interest in keeping it alive.

Ahmed, a Kurdish women's fabric seller, stated that Kurdish fashion is a cultural heritage that must be preserved and developed, “Kurdish people do not yet have a Kurdish fashion house, which is a major failure that must be addressed.”

Speaking about Kurdish women's clothing, Havin Ahmed noted that the coloring of these costumes is very similar to the mountain spring environment of Kurdistan.

The highlight of Kurdish women’s costume is the kawa, a long, bright, loose-colored dress with long sleeves linked to two conical tails called Fakyana. It is a transparent dress adorned with soft and bright silk threads embroidered with sparkling beads.

The Sakhma, which is embroidered with colored silver discs, is a short sleeveless jacket that is no more than 25 cm long, and is usually of a special type of thick fabric and fully covered with shiny threads to add more shine to the entire outfit. In winter, the Sakhma is replaced by a long padded, long-sleeved coat.

Awal Kiras is a pair of long trousers that match the color of the loose robe. They are rubber-mounted around the ankle, and tightened and adhered to the body in recent years to show the figure.

It is also common that Kurdish women wear a distinctive headcover adorned with ornaments, and it usually consists of two pieces covering the head, either from a special cloth called Hawre, or in the form of fez decorated with gold or silver accessories, tied to a gold or silver chain and wrapped around the neck.

The second piece of headdress consists of a square cloth placed around the neck, dangling to the front and attached to shiny Breesam threads, or a gold or silver pin that reaches the bottom of the waist.

In addition to the Kurdish women's costume, some gold accessories or gemstones and beads give a distinct elegance, including belts, necklaces, earrings, wrist chains, and rings. Those accessories have unique names such as Kemer, Girdan, Hijil, Ashik, bitout, Shabbahiya, and Dugma Dolab.

Regarding prices and types, Akram Taleb, a cloth seller, told Shafaq News agency, "There are many types of Kurdish folkloric uniforms, some are handmade in India, Afghanistan, and even Pakistan. The goods are imported to Kurdistan from Dubai or India, and there are also Chinese and Korean-origin fabrics."

"The price starts at 25,000 dinars to 300 dollars per uniform, depending on its type, but people usually prefer the average prices of 100,000 to 150,000 dinars", Taleb indicated.