This collection features deep, complex indigo ikat motifs inspired by the artisans and weaving traditions of Sumba, Indonesia.
Shanan became fascinated with Sumba in 2009, after visiting Threads of Life, a fair-trade organization that promotes culture and conservation to alleviate poverty in rural Indonesia. The meeting eventually led to her first journey to Sumba in 2017 and a collaboration with Sumba’s master weavers, who converted five of Eskayel’s most popular watercolor patterns into two-color motifs that they hand dyed, hand tied and hand wove into indigo ikat cloths—a first, as they’d never before translated another artist’s designs using their heritage craft. To bring the collaboration to a broader audience, via the Indigo / Ikat collection, Eskayel converted the original fabrics into prints. Five patterns are available in the studio’s classic clay-coated wallpaper, fabric by the yard, and pillows available in the studio’s standard sizes; three patterns are also offered as flat weave rugs, either 100% wool or 100 organic cotton.
“I first became fascinated with the Indonesian island of Sumba and its hinggi cloth — large textiles with warp ikat, often featuring symbolic imagery — in 2009, after visiting Threads of Life, a fair-trade organization that promotes culture and conservation to alleviate poverty in rural Indonesia.”
“The villages in Sumba still follow the island’s ancestral religion, Marapu, which influences every aspect of daily life, including interment rituals.”
Specifically, Sumba is one of the few places in the world where megalithic burials are still used as a ‘living tradition’ to inter prominent individuals after their passing, with each house featuring a megalith and a pointed room, which serves as a chimney.
“Eventually, I convinced Threads of Life to facilitate a collaboration with Sumba’s master weavers.”
Five of Eskayel’s most popular watercolor patterns were chosen to be hand dyed, hand tied and hand wove into indigo ikat cloths — a first, as they’d never before translated another artist’s designs.
“I wasn’t able to actually visit the island until 2017, when I saw its artisans’ incredible expertise with my own eyes. To bring the collaboration to a broader audience, via this collection, we converted these original fabrics into prints.”
“Seeing the Earth’s varied geography and discovering firsthand how the world’s various cultures live are vital components of participating in life as a global citizen, which is incredibly important to me. I want to experience as much as I can of what this planet has to offer.”
Morinda Ikat
Introducing the re-color of our ikat collection in Morinda, a natural dye used prevalently in Sumba where our original ikats were produced. It yields colors from blush to a deep red.
