Striped Silk Yardage

Narrow blue-green stripes alternate with tightly spaced chevrons of mauve, dark brown and white and are accented by thin, highly contrasting blue and white lines. This is a silk warp-faced satin fabric with a cotton weft. Therefore, the patterned front possesses a luxurious sheen while the back is dull and mostly white.

A printed label is glued to the back. Striped yardage like this was largely produced in Cairo and used in the construction of sleeveless vests, known as “sudeyree” and worn by men throughout northern Africa.