The year 2019 is more special for the Plovdiv-based craftsman Ivan Tonev also known as Garbacha. Because of his dedicated work to reviving and preserving the ancient tailor’s craft known as “terziystvo”, Ivan Garbacha has received the Guardian of Traditions award in the Crafts category, a distinction created by the Association for the Development of Arts and Crafts ARIZ-7.

Ivan Tonev has a workshop where he welcomes everyone willing to have a traditional costume custom made for them. For many years the tailoring of male clothes was a hobby for the professional financier Ivan Tonev. Two years ago, however, he took successfully his exam for a skilled braider (gaitandzhia) and specifically on the use of woollen braids (gaitani) in making a male folk costume. This encouraged him to trade the insurance company office he was working at for the craftsman workshop. And he says he never regretted his decision.

“The craft of the “terziya” (tailor) that I practice does not appear in the official classification of traditional crafts, and the closest to it is that of the gaitandzhia (braids maker). I became passionate about it six years ago when my friends and I decided to set up an association called “Hajduks” (hajduk – a national revival period fighter for justice). The name itself suggests that we aim at recreating an epoch when Bulgaria was under the Ottoman rule, and in particular the turbulent times of the mid-18^th and early 19^th centuries”, Ivan Tonev says.

Unfortunately, Bulgarians are not very well aware of the importance of the Hajduk movement, he believes. When he and his partners started to work on the association, they obtained clothes and weapons from other places but it turned out these clothes did not comply with their requirements, he continues:

“Everything was poor in ornamentation and small in size. We went in search of help, and in the end, I found myself sewing men's outerwear using an ancient technology. In this technology all the work is done manually as it was done 200 years ago. I also go to search for models, visit museums, take photos of old-style garments to study the technology of making the “gaitani” (woollen braids).  For the clothing, I use authentic material called “shayak” (a type of coarse woollen cloth), and the braid that I place is from the Etara Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, where it is knit on an authentic woollen braids making machine that knits the wool thread. The so-called “terzii” (tailors) used to sew upper men's clothing, less often women's. Moreover, in the female costume, the braids are not so strongly represented. The function of the braid in the garment is mostly practical; it covers the place where two parts connect. To make it beautiful, our ancestors put a sense of detail and covered the fastened elements, so the defect became an effect”, Ivan explains.

This craft is primarily a male occupation because the nature of the work involves the use of more physical power.

“The process of making men's clothing lasts a month or more”, says the master craftsman. “When it comes to women's clothing, the emphasis is on the embroidery, and there are almost no braids. There is no one to make clothes for men's wear at the moment, that’s why I chose it. Unfortunately, there are no live masters any longer to gain experience and knowledge from. In the process of studying a particular costume, I discover for myself things that were known to the old masters. I put an announcement in my workshop that I was looking for an apprentice, but so far no one has stayed for longer. They come and see how hard the work is, then they call me saying that they find it difficult, that it takes patience, and the work on the details is tedious.”

Indeed, a man's costume, which is a set of trousers, a vest, and a coat, is a slow process, Ivan admits.

“So far, I do everything by hand and I have not made any compromises in this regard. I prefer to keep this craft in its old, authentic look. It gives me great pleasure to work. I feel the greatest joy when a customer comes to pick up their costumes and when I see the sparkle in his eyes, when he puts on his clothes and looks around. This moment cannot be compared to anything else. Recently, I see how this return to tradition is gaining popularity - and tradition means passing on one’s experience and knowledge from generation to generation. Hopefully I can find followers to help me keep my craft alive in Bulgaria”.

Photos: private library