传统中的时尚——紫花布

Fashion in the Tradition——Nankeen Cotton

紫花布,一种用棕色棉花(俗称紫花)织成的土布,多出产于苏松地区。用它做成的衣服,经久耐磨,天然呈淡赭黄色,不需染色,被认为可活血络,常被用来做老人服饰,后扩展成为军服衣料,明末更是成为华阳高士之朴雅与士人风骨的象征。清代风靡欧洲,紫花布长裤成为19世纪英法上流社会的时尚穿着。本文从紫花布名称的由来、功用及外销三方面,再现这种传统土布所承载的历史信息及其背后曾经流转的时尚风华。

Nankeen,is a kind of brown cotton(commonly known as purple flower)woven cloth produced in Suzhou and Songjiang.The clothes made of it are durable and wear well.They are naturally light ochre yellow and do not need to be dyed.This kind of clothes was believed to be able to activate blood circulation,and was often used for old people’s clothing,and later was extended to military clothing materials.In the late Ming dynasty,this kind of clothes became a symbol of elegance and character.In the Qing dynasty,nankeen was popular in Europe.Trousers made of nankeen became the fashionable dress for the British and French high society in the 19 th century.From three aspects including the origin,function and export trade of nankeen,this paper reproduces the historical information of this kind of traditional homespun cloth and its fashionable elegance.