Threads of Tradition: The Timeless Elegance of Natural Fabrics
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We can find common characteristics that lie between plants, animals and most notably, us. Nature is the foundation of our provision. It makes sense that we are drawn to natural fabrics as we are all intricately bound by flora and fauna, relying on the abundence that springs. This leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation of wearing natural materials, as we understand its craftsmanship.
The Art of Hand-Harvesting
In Egypt, cotton is hand-picked, even though this practice is less time efficient it is practiced for the sake of preserving its fibres. The harvesting of natural materials weaves a tale of authenticity, a deep connection to nature. Where each thread of silk, cotton, and wool become a reflection for our own personal values. These values are translated through the craftsmanship, durability, and comfort of the clothes we choose to wear.
Image from Why Real Egyptian Cotton Is So Expensive (Business Insider 2020).
Timeless Craftsmanship & The Need for Slow Fashion
Therefore, with the mastery behind natural materials, when wool is sheared, cotton is harvested and silk entwines. It reminds us that the pace of time does not change. This is how we should value our seasons, to be a part of its pace. With the constant development of technology, although it serves us well, the basics of fashion in craftsmanship, durability, and comfort seem to slip through and often are left forgotten. We are aware of the outcomes of a fast production, but now we are urged to slow it back down back to its natural pace.
‘Silkworms Spinning Cocoons’, Image from (Asian Civilisations Museum 2005)
Capturing Radiance in Design: The vision behind the Calypso Dress
When designing the ‘Calypso Dress’ there was an importance to reflect the vision of the illumination of pearls. In so, using a bright white cotton fabric with a ruffled off the shoulder neckline, the garments figure bounces between brightness and shadows. Where the main body is fitted, the light shines evenly against the shade of the ruffles to cast a radiant gleam.
Myth & Mastery: The Enchanting Legacy of Silk
Even the history of discovering natural fabrics is idolising in itself, a way to preserve history and understand our own traditions. Our first collection of ‘Joie de Vivre’ derives from the legend of Chinese Empress Xi Ling Shi who is said to have discovered silk when a cocoon fell into her teacup. As it unravelled in the warmth of her tea, she noticed the delicate threads it encompasses. She is said to have woven the first silk cloth and had taught her handmaidens the craft. Immerse yourself through the enchanting story of silk’s origins through the videography that unveils this intricate process.
To Follow a Tradition
So, when you wear these fibres, you choose to be a part of this legacy in which each stitch honours an entire production process. In choosing natural materials, we choose authenticity and a commitment to preserving our world. As seasons pass it's the enduring warmth of wool, the softness of cotton and the lustrous draping of silk; a reminder of an intimate connection to the world around us, a reflection of value.
