Traditional jacket from Ioannina with Edelweiss pattern

At the end of the 19th century, the women of the Jewish community of Ioannina continued to wearing their traditional costume. Nevertheless, we can notice some changes in the patterns and in the choice of fabrics. In this period, features in line with the European style prevailed, such as the circular neckline and the narrow one-button cuffs. Women obviously favoured fabrics in bold colours and in a broader colour palette. The ottoman Selimiye brocade fabrics with discreet woven floral patterns went out of fashion and were often replaced by fabrics with designs in European taste. The fabrics came from various origins, a fact which supports the claim that the Jews of Ioannina, many of whom were merchants, maintained a wide network of trade relations. An impressive example of this change of fashion is this jacket from Ioannina from the late 19th or early 20th century. It was made of woolen fabric, probably Swiss in origin, which has the characteristic Edelweiss design in combination with leafy green stripes on a bright red background.