Other spellings exist, such as caftan kaftan or oldest, or khaftan qaftan1. The French word is a transliteration of a Turkish name itself borrowed from Persian.
Caftans are defined by a number of things in common: they are often long and detailed, straight or slightly crossed, long or semi-long sleeves, no collar or hood and open in the middle, along their entire length (with or without buttons). However, each nation or people who built the caftan dress in his heritage has given it its own at the cut button, fabrics, colors, embroidery, ornaments and patterns, hence the appearance caftans Persian, Mughal, Venetian, Turkish, Slavic Algerian or Moroccan.
The geographical spread of Islam has contributed to its spread and its gradual transformation over the centuries and in different countries and cultures. The current Arab-Muslim world has been crossed by trade caravans bringing with them a variety of products, the pilgrimage to Mecca, a city which was already before the arrival of Islam in a city of trade and pilgrimages , further intensifies meetings and exchanges between people from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. However, Islam does not mean that all people automatically converted adopted the caftan, whose compositions differ hierarchical and social positions, some Berber populations or ethnic groups have thus retained their traditional clothes.
Gradually, the old caftans producing nations have abandoned in favor of more fashionable outfits, often those of the dominant cultural power. However, the legacy of Mauro-Andalus caftans installed in Morocco persist in this country where craftsmen of Meknes, Fez, Rabat and Tetouan keep the know-how required for their manufacture, and the first written mention the Moroccan caftan date from the sixteenth century. Nowadays, the term is used to describe a long garment ceremonial traditionally worn by Moroccan women and revisited by designers for this tunic revive in new forms.
