Centre for Omani Dress

The Oman Dress Project, or ODP, is specifically about the study of Oman's traditional dress including garments and accessories, as well as textiles, cosmetics and jewelry.  The project actively began in 2004 and given it's broad scope, the work of researching and documenting is expected to last for over a decade.  If you'd like to help out in anyway, feel free to Contact Us.  We'd be happy to have you.

The COD is working with the upper grade students who have volunteered for some COD projects.  We are in our second year of completion and the projects are moving along beautifully!  When they have reached completion the COD will make an announcement so please come back and check out this spot for updates!

In 2010 the COD will find itself on the shelves in bookstores and finer hotels with its first ever publication on traditional dress for Omani women. 

This is not the only publication expected from the COD this year so send us your email so we can keep you updated as these publications become available.

The COD volunteers are busy working on numerous products to sell in an effort to raise funding for research.  Be sure to visit our Gift Shop for more details in the near future.  Good things await!

Oman's Ministry of Tourism has the awesome responsibility of renovating some 22 forts and castles throughout Oman, AlHazim being one of them.  AlHazim is located 30 minutes outside of Rustaq in the AlBatinah region and coast.

The COD's effort towards this monumental task has been in the area of scene dressing.  The COD has created all of the costumes worn by the 20+ mannequins as reproductions of yesteryears.  Some scenes depict life 250 years ago and still other scenes reach back only as far as the 1970's.

In addition to the scene dressing of mannequins, the COD is also responsible for creating the cushion covers of over 50 different pieces used throught the castle.

It was important to the Ministry of Tourism that the work carried out in this region be of benefit to the residents of the community and so, therefore, the COD has made every effort to craft the garments in this community.  Most have been hand stitched by the local women.

The COD submitted video footage of a walking tour through Mutrah Souk and the surrounding communities, which aired on "The Oprah Winfrey Show:  Beauty Secrets From Around The World" on Thursday, November 20, 2008 in the United States.

This segment has been aired on MBC 4 multiple times but it might not be too late to catch it again.  Congratulations to Oman for having made its debut on the show!

For the calendar year of 2007 the Historial Association of Oman requested the help of the COD.  The calendar is filled with 12 pages worth of beautiful color illustrated pictures and text.  (A few  remain available and are worth having because of their content.  Visit our Gift Shop to make your purchase!)

Upon realizing that the fate of hatheeya was in danger, the COD filmed a documentary showing the step by step process of creating this beautiful woven fringe which can be shared with future generations to preserve this art.  We'd like to thank  IITC for making this documentary possible.  This footage will be available for viewing at the new COD facility, opening soon.

Through the generosity of the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the COD has been able to acquire an antique weaving loom used in the creation of hatheeya; a braided fringe used on the shayla, an outercovering worn by women.  The loom will be on display at the new COD facility, opening soon. 

A beautifully ornate house in Dhakliya region, on the way to Nizwa from Muscat, near to Jebal Akhdar, Bait AlRadaydah (in Birkat AlMoaz) is being renovated by the Ministry of Tourism and will soon become Oman's only, and the region's finest, weapons museum.

The COD was recommended for the scene dressing of 7 mannequins depicting Bedouins of the region from approximately 125 years ago.