What is ikat design you see in so many fabrics?
Availability of Ikat fabric online created a lot of interest in these unique and noble textiles. The history of Ikat fabrics covers different countries where artisans independently of each other (or not so independently?) created different patterns and used various symbols. We love good stories, especially when it comes to symbols used in fabrics. This blog post is about ikat design, ikat patterns and influences affecting them.
Ikat design is about abstraction. The ikat binding technique and resist dying soften the edges of the ikat pattern making the transition of one color to the next softer, blurrier or cloudier. Hence, the local name for the technique – abr (cloud). The artisan binding the fabrics is known as “abrband” (weaver of clouds).
Ikat design and abstract art
For a land that was at crossroads of so many cultures and changing religious and political influences it was only natural and safe (!) to stick to something that is abstract. A pattern that vaguely looked like a carpet weaving comb could be seen as a lucky amulet if turned upside down.
How to care for ikat fabrics?
How to care for ikat fabrics? This is what this blog post is about. Let me start off with a bit of a history. Ikat, as you may already know since you are on this website, is an Indonesian term for a fabric making technique which requires a specific way of tying
Uzbek ikat fabrics in collections of Alix of Bohemia
We are used to hearing these grand names of haute couturiers who use Uzbek ikat fabrics for their collections like John Galliano and Oscar de la Renta. In light of how much media covers work of big fashion houses smaller fashion brands are almost left unnoticed. Meanwhile they seem to be leaving some serious dents on fashion runways.
The other day I was googling something ikat related. The Google Almighty - sometimes this is how I feel we should start referring to Google since so much depends on it - led me to a website of a fashion designer whose name I never heard before – Alix of Bohemia.
Who Is Alex of Bohemia?
Alix of Bohemia is a fashion brand by Alix Verley-Pietrafesa, an Italian textile, French arts genes mixed with education in the University of Scotland, further infused by travels round the world, currently creating from New York City. The bohemian part comes from her passion for vintage things and ethnic textiles. Alix uses it all – embroidery, ikats, kantha quilting, block print fabrics. Of course, it is the Uzbek ikat fabrics part which we find the most interesting.
Suzani table decor for holidays
The inspiration for this suzani table decor collection came as a response to COVID-19 pandemic or rather our desire to be done with it.
To be done with the media noise, confusion, vaccination debates and illogical, often conflicting, data being fed to us. It was our way of saying “Enough is enough”. Basic precautions like avoiding large crowds remain but the goal is to drop fear and panic, to take charge of our wellbeing and to go on loving and celebrating our relationships.