Red Velvet Jacket

A small stock of jackets and coats are available in two tiny shops hidden in the narrow alleys of the Straight Street section of Damascus' Hamideyye Souk. Sewing at machines in another location, their master craftsmen (male) stitch the gold metallic cord without stamping the designs onto the imported Korean or Japanese velvet. One can purchase the already-finished pieces that are folded inside out (to protect the embroidery thread) and stacked inside wooden cubes behind the small counter, but most clients prefer to bring their measurements and special order the jacket they desire. One can either select from bolts of fabric already on hand or bring their own choices for stitching and embroidery. These two merchants also supply the foreign demand. Most of the commercial market for this type of jacket lies in the wealthy nations of the Arab Gulf and Saudi Arabia, where they are still worn occasionally on ceremonial and folkloric occasions.