Why Are These Traditional Saudi Arabian Dresses So Huge?

Marvel at dramatic silhouettes and intricate embroidery of Saudi Arabian dresses from the 1940s and 1950s. Subscribe for fashion videos 👉 @vamuseum Join V&A curator Fuchsia Hart as she unboxes two spectacularly embroidered traditional Najdi thobes (dresses) from the Najd region of Saudi Arabia. Traditionally worn to celebrations such as weddings, Eid and family gatherings, these luxurious outer garments measure around 3-metres wide, making them some of the largest objects in the museum's fashion collection. Complete with sequins and floral motifs in metal thread, the luxurious silk sleeves drape over the top of the head to create a spectacular flowing shape, revealing the exquisite details of the narrower dress worn underneath. – 00:00 Unboxing (unintentional ASMR) 00:35 What is a Thobe? 02:08 Features of 1940s Najdi Thobe 03:21 Embroidery & Metal Thread 03:48 When is a Najdi Thobe Worn? 04:30 How is a Najdi Thobe Worn? 05:43 History of the garments, King Abdulaziz 07:07 Indian Cotton 07:25 Unboxing (unintentional ASMR) 07:54 Najdi Bridal Thobe Mokhattam 08:14 Thobe Hind, Indian Connections 08:48 Floral Embroidery, Gold & Silver Thread 09:30 Metal Thread Under Magnification 10:20 Embroidered Under Dress, Dorra'a 11:11 Preserving Saudi Textile Heritage, Safeya Binzagr These garments feature in the display Golden Threads: Dress from Saudi Arabia in Room 42, Islamic Middle East, The Jameel Gallery, at V&A South Kensington until 30 May 2027. https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/51Bv