Fashion of Armenian Rulers

An unprecedented display of Armenian royal costumes from artist-designer Lilit Melikyan was held in Yerevan. The Megerian carpet making museum and factory hosted the most diverse audience.

Lilit Melikyan’s collection attracted not only fashion and design lovers but admirers of art in general as well as those who are interested in the history of Armenia.

A peculiar combination of fashion with Armenian history and mythology allowed viewers to travel in time and plunge into the elegant and luxurious world of the Armenian aristocracy.

Guests were presented with images of kings and queens from the Yervanduni, Artashesian, Bagratunyats, Arshakuni dynasties as well as Cilician kings, which all played an important role in the history of Armenia. The display was opened by the main “god of the Kingdom of Van Khaldi” and “goddess of fertility Bagmashtu”.

“Representatives” of ancient royal dynasties followed each other on the stage, and everyone probably imagined scenes with them described in literature. The abundance of Armenian carpets, the corresponding music and lighting further strengthened the mysticism and mystery of what was happening on the stage.

Models dressed in the “clothes” of the legendary king Ara the Beautiful and his wife Nvard presented the legend “Ara the Beautiful and Shamiram.” A costume in the style of the eminent King Tigranes II the Great was also presented to the public.

A special place in the image of “Tigran Mets” (“Tigranes the Great” in Armenian) was given to an eight-pointed crown decorated with pearls. It also depicted the sun and eagles on its two sides.

The Kingdom of Van was represented by the images of King Menua I and his wife as well as the image of the “invincible ruler” Argishti I. Costumes of the Cilician kings completed the collection. They were based on images on coins and miniatures.

The collection is a kind of ode to the dynasties of Armenian kings and their descendants. It was their stories and legends that inspired the candidate of art sciences Lilit Melikyan to create this collection.

Samples of the costumes were created by the masters of the Cultural Center “Teryan”.