Ladakhi coats
I saw two extraordinary coats today, in a central Asian textile shop called the Turkmen Gallery near Victoria. Heavy homespun indigo wool, cut like frock coats but wrapping and tying at the front. Bands of faded red madder homespun on the sleeves. Extremely full gored skirt, calf/ankle length. The gores were in the same faded madder, with tie-dyed circles of the ‘evil eye’ variety. Tailoring was rough and ready, but the cut was so austere yet flamboyant that they were two of the most spectacular things in the shop (and this was a shop full of amazing central Asian textiles).
The woman in the shop told me they were from Ladakh. I think they are the Ladakhi national dress, which apparently is called a goncha.
They looked as if they might have been in fashion any time in the last four thousand years, anywhere from western Europe to the Tarim Basin. I can’t find a good picture of one online anywhere - may have to go back and take one.
The shop also had an exquisite Ladakhi monk’s robe of a much straighter and simpler cut, in a deep maroon woollen homespun. The dyeing was irregular enough that it had a very delicate self stripe.
This coat, from Zanskar on the Ladakh/Tibet border, is apparently made from yak wool. It’s a bit more colourful but has the tie-dyed eyes, the stripey sleeves and the indigo/madder colour scheme, although its gores come from under the armpits rather than the waist.
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