ELTERES ARCHIVE · 01

The Story of Asya

A story that began by tracing a shapan surviving from the 14th century was reshaped through research, reconstruction and contemporary design.

Embroidery details and contemporary silhouette of the ELTERES Asya jacket
ASYA — ELTERES

01 — THE ARCHIVE

We began by understanding the piece.

The shapan we found in a historical source immediately stood out for its long silhouette, rich embroidery and vivid red colour.

Described in the source as a men’s shapan designed for travellers, this piece became the starting point for Asya.

Historical reference image of a 14th-century Kazakh shapan
14th-century historical reference — ELTERES research archive
01

Long silhouette

The original piece’s strong, elongated form established the design’s initial character.

02

A rich language of embroidery

The surrounding motifs and dense embroidery carried the piece’s cultural memory.

03

Vivid red

The original shapan’s strong red tone was one of its most distinctive visual features.

02 — RECONSTRUCTION

First, we reconstructed it.

We examined and photographed each motif individually, then recreated it using specially prepared patterns. Our aim was to understand the design logic of the past before reinterpreting it.

Reconstruction process of the ELTERES Asya shapan
01 — Reconstruction

Reinterpreting the historical form

Contemporary design interpretation of the ELTERES Asya jacket
02 — Elteres Interpretation

Then we brought it into a contemporary silhouette.

03 — THE PALETTE

We rebuilt the palette from nature.

We moved the original piece’s vivid, high-contrast world into a quieter palette. Mountain grey, still water, sunlit sand and warm earth became Asya’s new colour language.

The motifs retained the same memory, while the colours moved closer to the contemporary world of ELTERES.

Mountain Grey
Still Water
Sunlit Sand
Warm Earth

04 — TRANSFORMATION

We preserved its character. We transformed its form.

01

What we preserved

  • The essential character of the historical motifs
  • The visual memory of the embroidery composition
  • The shapan’s powerful presence
  • The cultural spirit of the piece
02

What we reinterpreted

  • The silhouette was shortened for everyday wear
  • The structure was made lighter
  • Contrast was reduced to create a calmer colour balance
  • Pockets concealed within the seams were added

ELTERES — UNBROKEN CULTURE

We do not reproduce the past. We build a contemporary design language from it.

Asya is not a copy of a historical piece, but a new design story created through research, reconstruction and contemporary interpretation.

Discover the Asya jacket