Banyan and waistcoat

Banyan and waistcoat

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

An overall interest in all things Eastern influenced textile designs and clothing styles of the eighteenth century. The banyan, a popular men's leisure garment, was inspired by East Indian styles of clothing. Although worn only at home, many banyans were nevertheless made from luxurious patterned silks.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Banyan and waistcoatBanyan and waistcoatBanyan and waistcoatBanyan and waistcoatBanyan and waistcoat

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.