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Ensemble - Kutchi Group, Pashtun Peoples, Afghanistan
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Ensemble - Kutchi Dress, Pashtun Peoples, Afghanistan. This assembled ensemble consists of: 1. Dress. Full-length. High neckline, slight V-shape. Front yoke/bib panel of fine needlework geometric shapes and patterns, in orange, purple, green, and blue. Front of bodice with four large embroidered rosettes of silver couching with orange silver/white, and black borders. Over-length, wide sleeves of patchwork of materials, including red, purple, and pink. Cuffs of heavy silver couching with central band of small circular mirrors in needlework frames. High, narrow waistband of silver/gold couching. Front of skirt formed of thin black fabric heavily gathered to form voluminous front panel. Wide band of red fabric lining inside of front panel at hem. Back of bodice formed of red cloth with vertical white stripes. Embroidered panels under arms. Back of skirt formed of upper panel of purple printed with blue and off-white flowers and leaves, heavily gathered into waistband. Lower panel of purple fabric, as full as upper panel. Black hem on back of skirt. 2. Headpiece of silver set with glass and plastic(?) rubies and emeralds, center plaque with glass segments simulating lapis and jade(?). Central circular plaque with central red circular glass "stone" surrounded by 6 alternating triangular green and blue glass plaques forming a star. Star is encircled by ring of glass (plastic?) simulated rubies and emeralds. Outer openwork border. Extending above central plaque and connected by 4 small metal bar-shaped links is a triangular plaque set with same simulated rubies and emeralds. Extending horizontally from central plaque on either side are three rectangular metal plaques set with same simulated rubies and emeralds. All plaques connected by metal bar-shaped links. Hanging below connected plaques is fringe of short metal chain sections terminating in hollow spheres. The plaques are sewn to a narrow black cloth band designed to fit …