Uzbekistan

Uzbek Textiles

We source all of our Uzbek and Central Asian textiles from a wonderful Uzbek antique textile dealer in Istanbul, Turkey. We can never get enough of his kaleidoscopic silk and cotton Ikats and Suzanis.

Ikat

Although Ikat is originally a Malay word, it is now commonly used in English to describe textiles created using the technique of resist dyeing the warp or weft prior to weaving. This method of weaving creates the signature hazy edges in the patterns.

The technique appears to have developed independently across various cultures since at least the Dark Ages, appearing in places like Pre-Columbian Peru and Guatemala, 10th century Yemen, Japan, Indonesia, India, and of course Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is famed for its impeccable handwoven Ikat textiles. The Uzbek word for the entire range of indigenous Ikat is 'Abrabandi' which literally means 'weaving clouds'. The cloudy look of many Ikats comes from the dyes bleeding slightly into the resist areas.

A brilliantly coloured ikat coat has historically been considered a symbol of wealth and status.Ikat fabric has been highly prized all over Central Asia since the 19th century. It is widely recognised among Ikat-weaving societies that the weaving of Ikat requires exceptional skill, and weavers often dedicate their lives to perfecting the skill.In Uzbekistan, the local market continues to prize and value Ikats, and most women own a few pieces, even when they might otherwise choose more westernised attire dress. Ikats make up Uzbek women's trousseaus, wedding dresses and special party attire.

Suzani

The Uzbek Suzani fabric panels that we sourced from our textile dealer are hand embroidered by skilled and talented artisans in Uzbekistan.

The name Suzani comes from the Persian word ‘suzan’ or ‘needle’. These panels were traditionally made by Central Asian brides' families as part of their dowry, and were presented to the groom on the wedding day.

Floral motifs are sketched onto the fabric prior to being hand embroidered stitch by stitch, making each panel truly unique. Some pen marks may be visible and remain on the final piece. These panels are often divided between many women in their village or families to embroider and are then sewn together to form a larger panel.

More Artisans

Peru

This weaving cooperative located in the Peruvian Highlands preserves the Cusqueñan textile traditions and produces traditional Peruvian wares for us

Colombia

We work with artisans in four tribal communities in Colombia who has been producing mochilas for us since 2011

Morocco

We work closely with this artisan family in Marrakech since 2011. They produce our traditional Moroccan velvet jackets and dresses

Italy

We work with an elder generation of basket weavers in Sicily who produces our Sicilian baskets, as well as a family-owned leather production studio in Grappa.

Hungary

This Hungarian artisan has been creating dresses and blouses for us with traditional Matyó embroidery since 2012

India

We work with talented artisans from different regions in India, who create products for us ranging from embroidered dresses to accessories to footwear.