During the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923), it was always important that men used a headdress, typically the turban (imama), which predates the fez that is part of this collection. It was the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II (1735-1839) who decided to replace the use of the turban and traditional dress for a new attire that included an updated red felt fez. In 1826, the use of this headdress with a black silk tassel was adopted.
Its popularity extended throughout the Ottoman Empire, and it was used until 1925. That year, the wearing of the fez was prohibited, leading many groups to discontinue their use. It is interesting to remember that at the turn of the 20th century, the red fez became popular in Europe, which could be the reason why Pedro del Rio acquired two red fezzes when he visited Turkey. In the West, fezzes had become poplar as “smoking hats”, as they were an exotic attire that at the same time covered the European smoker’s hair, protecting it from the smell of the tobacco.