1970s Afghan-Style Patchwork Maxi Dress with Mirrorwork Embroidered Bodice

An absolutely extraordinary 1970s Afghan-style maxi dress, and one of the most elaborate examples we have come across. Combining traditional Afghan-inspired embroidery and mirrorwork with a distinctly European 1970s silhouette, this is a spectacular piece of wearable textile art.

The dress is constructed from an incredible patchwork of soft, lightweight fabrics in jewel tones of forest green, plum, raspberry, scarlet and deep navy, interspersed with tiny floral prints. The patchwork has been carefully arranged into bands and geometric formations throughout the enormous floor-length skirt and dramatic bell sleeves.

The bodice is particularly exceptional: densely worked with metallic embroidery, colourful woven trims, tiny mirrors and decorative stitching in shades of gold, silver, pink, turquoise and green. A wide embroidered waistband defines the waist before the fabric releases into a beautifully full, heavily gathered skirt. The enormous sleeves are finished with deep navy cuffs decorated with geometric stitching and contrasting red edging.

A faded label remains inside and appears to begin with “Elizabeth…”, although the full name is no longer legible. The construction is professionally machine sewn rather than a purely traditional handmade garment, and the combination of Afghan textile techniques with the fitted bodice, defined waist and dramatic maxi silhouette suggests a piece produced for the Western/European fashion market during the 1970s. As the label is no longer readable, however, its precise maker and place of manufacture cannot be confirmed.

The fabric is wonderfully soft and fluid and feels like a cotton or cotton/viscose blend, although there is no surviving fibre-content label, so the exact composition cannot be guaranteed.

At 155 cm / 61 in long, this is a genuinely dramatic maxi dress and particularly wonderful for a taller wearer or worn with heels. The hem could also be professionally shortened if desired.

Condition

Excellent vintage condition externally. The patchwork, embroidery, mirrorwork and decorative bodice present beautifully, with no significant flaws visible when worn.

Because the dress is constructed from a very large number of individual patchwork sections, there are numerous raw seam allowances and loose/fraying threads visible on the reverse/inside of the patchwork. This is related to the construction of the garment and is not visible externally; the outside remains beautifully intact. We have intentionally left these threads untouched rather than trimming or altering the original construction.