Documentation and interpretations of North Caucasus Karachai Balkars apparel design

North Caucasus Karachai-Balkars' Apparel Design have been examined in this study. The purpose of the study, is to document the North Caucasus Karachai-Balkars' clothing, to separate men and women wearing apparels, to determine who used and how used cloths, to determine the social status and periodical distribution, and using explaining the customary clothing tradition to prepare the original collection with contemporary interpretations of the North Caucasus Karachai-Balkarian traditional clothes. The regional scope of the study is North Caucasus. By getting information and examining about North Caucasus Karachai-Balkar Clothing Tradition from Karachai – Balkars' epos named ''Nart Destanı'' and 'law (honor) book named ''Ozden Adet'', and examining scientific publications, resources, languages, law, customs and traditions, habits, ethics rules, moral values, archaeological data, records, museum archives, artifacts, paintings, drawings, samples and photos from private family archives are revealed important information in many aspects about the people of the region. In order to reach the result the traditional wearing apparels of North Caucasus Karachay-Balkaria is discussed in historical and cultural context. The using traditional wearing apparel in socio-cultural environment and their ''bodily function'' were examined by defining the apparel functions. In the context of ethnic history, there were investigated the color and ornamentation semantics which reflect the mythological and artistic-aesthetic ideas in traditional clothing by determining characteristics of Karachai-Balkar material culture. It is known that the apparel culture of the North Caucasus people are coming from the ongoing migration since Sarmatian and Huns period and Proto-Turkic nomads. Therefore, "the North Caucasus fashion" is the product of a strong Turkish influence and in order to be a "standard" there were adopted in it a lot from Turkish examples. The two cultural flow (Nomad Steppe and local Caucasian communities) influenced on apparel styles and could be able sustain their own ornament characteristics. While metallic ornaments and jewellery chest button, button holes, hanging bells and tec. dates back to early period Caucasus, it is known that gold thread craftman embroider and applique technique are based on Nomad Steppe. Turkish influence is known to have an effect on golden thread craftsman used in Karaçay Balkar women' clothes. The results achieved is that worldwide famous North Caucasus Karachai-Balkar wearing apparel from ancient times to the present day time has extremely rich traditions. The Karachai-Balkar traditional clothing, which is unique in North Caucasus region, raises the culture of the region to the forefront. In fact, Turks of North Caucasus who were indicating fashion had nicknames as "Mountain Aristokrats" because of their elegant dresses. However, inspiring by the knowledge produced from examining North Caucasus Karachai-Balkar Clothing there were prepared a new original collection with contemporary interpretations. This study is supported by Akdeniz University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit. Project number SSY-2016-1024.