Tailoring (Jacket) Project (Istanbul Fashion Academy x London College of Fashion/Second Year, First Semester Project)
The brief for this jacket project called for an approach that highlights the pinnacle of tailoring craftsmanship. To merge this vision with the Savile Row narrative, I drew inspiration from my own heritage, creating a design where the lineages of my maternal and paternal sides converge.
I have crafted a contemporary fashion piece that bears the imprints of the past. The jacket features wool fabric, silk satin lining, and carefully selected buttons that reflect my history and the era I come from, all complemented by intricate embroidery detailing my family tree. In this project, the color red represents my mother’s side, while navy blue reflects my father’s lineage.
The jacket is crafted from navy blue wool fabric, complemented by a navy silk satin lining. The design features five epaulettes representing my great-grandfathers and grandfather—the foundational pillars of my family tree—while a sixth epaulette symbolizes our family surname (Gaytabashi-Gafarli).
The gold buttons consist of authentic pieces from the Ottoman Army and the Azerbaijani Land Forces. The ammunition pockets situated above the main pocket were inspired by the uniform of Sharif Bey Gaytabashi. On the left breast, a letter belonging to Abdulhamid Bey Gaytabashi is meticulously rendered in red embroidery. Conversely, the navy embroidery on the right side displays the commendation received by Haciaga Gafarov following World War II.
The construction incorporates sartorial references from the Ottoman Era, the Ottoman and Russian Empires of WWI, and the Soviet Union of WWII. Further technical details and historical context can be found in the research book and sketchbook located at the bottom of the page.
A Tailored Armor of Memory represents the research book of the project.
The Man Behind the Structure represents the sketchbook of the project.
THE CODE OF THE EFENDI: A TAILORED ARMOR OF MEMORY
THE CODE OF THE EFENDI: A MAN BEHIND THE STRUCTURE
