id library: Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume by Yaffa Assouline with images by Laziz Hamani
The book showcases presents the extravagance of the royal courts of the emirs of Bukhara in nineteenth-century Uzbekistan
The land of Uzbekistan has always been renowned for the magnificent craftsmanship of its textile-makers. Since ancient times, when prosperous trade routes put the region in the center of the known world, the opulent fabrics originating here have been the stuff of legend.
Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume by Yaffa Assouline with images by Laziz Hamani
Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume presents the extravagance of the royal courts of the emirs of Bukhara in nineteenth-century Uzbekistan, when gold, silk and velvet costumes reached their apogee of craftsmanship. Official ceremonial chapans, “jewel coats” entirely embroidered in gold, were part of a stunning display of power and splendor, as were suzani wall hangings, ikat silk and spectacular jewelry pieces – all replete with profound symbolism and time-tested techniques passed from generation to generation. Created by Yaffa Assouline with images by Laziz Hamani, Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume is an intimate invitation to discover the masterpieces of unknown masters – examples of high art – that are sought after by museums and private collectors worldwide. They tell us about the diversity of patterns and techniques, the multiplicity of influences from contacts along the Great Silk Road and the constant creative exchange between artisans and the world of trade.
Gold-embroidered zardoz parcha chapan, Bukhara, 18th to 19th centuries, collection of the State Museum of Temurids History, Tashkent. Image courtesy to Laziz Hamani
Yaffa Assouline has worked as a journalist, consultant and creative art director. She specializes in innovative and made-to-measure publishing. She is the author of the books Uzbekistan: The Road to Samarkand; Uzbekistan: Avant-Garde Orientalists; Uzbekistan: Russian Avant-Garde; and Uzbekistan Living Treasures: Celebration of Craftsmanship, all by Assouline.
All images courtesy to Assouline.
Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume by Yaffa Assouline with images by Laziz Hamani
The Latest
Design Take: Fairmont Tazi Palace
OBMI and Katara Hospitality breathe new life into a 1920s royal residence, balancing heritage and modern luxury on the eucalyptus-clad slopes of Tangiers, Morocco.
Step inside Kiyoshi Dubai
Japanese craft meets contemporary design at Kiyoshi designed by Mahsa Gholizadeh
The AlUla Artist Residency Programme Returns for its Second Edition
The Design Residency programme 2025 also coincides with the Year of Handicrafts as designated by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture.
For Music Lovers
The interiors of the Backstage Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden echo the feeling of being behind the scenes at a great performance – rich in texture, layered in story and always with music in the background
A Taste of Tradition
Intimate, artistic and unforgettable, The Mellah Hotel is nestled in the heart of Marrakech's ancient medina, just steps from the magnificent Bahia Palace.
A Dallas Home Where Architecture, Art, and Memory Converge
In a landmark Bud Oglesby-designed building, designer Joshua Rice crafts a warm, quietly powerful residence that honors modernist roots, personal history, and a young collector’s nuanced eye
Restraint meets richness
This apartment designed by Carl Gerges features green hues throughout
A Dose of Culture Without Losing Comfort
BLINK Design Group has drawn deeply from the well of ancient Lingnan culture to craft a design narrative that’s rooted in tradition yet thoroughly modern at Banyan Tree Dongguan Songshan Lake in China
id most wanted: MORPHO chair by Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland, the world-renowned music festival, has collaborated with designer Dieter Vander Velpen and Ethnicraft through its architecture and design studio, Great Library Studio, to create a contemporary Art Nouveau furniture collection
First Armani Beach Villas Launched in Ras Al Khaimah
Giorgio Armani and RAK Properties launch the first Armani-branded villas in the world
6 design-led museums in the UAE
Here are the current and upcoming design-led museums in the UAE that you should know about
What are the bathroom trends in 2025?
Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard unveil a fresh perspective on bathroom design for 2025