Thai Hmong Man’s Embroidered Jacket

The Hmong are a group that live along the Thailand-China-Laos border. This jacket most probably has come from the Hmong of northern Thailand, the two most common branches of which are known as the White Hmong and the Green or Blue Hmong.

Hmong women produced fine, brightly-coloured embroidery which was use don the sleeves and lapels of black cotton jackets worn by the menfolk such as the example here. Such jackets have full-length sleeves but are short leaving the midriff bare.

The jacket of home-spun black cotton textile has a blue and white machine-made textile lining, probably sourced from China. The sleeves are fully encased in embroidery work and there is an embroidered panel applied to the front left lapel, which is secured to the other lapel by a single button.

The jacket here is not one produced for the souvenir market; the embroidery work is fine and rich. The jacket has ample signs of use from having been worn.

There are no holes, tears or repairs.