A trip to Bhutan in early 2006 led me on an unexpected side-journey into the world of woven textiles and planted the seed of an idea for a project to support Bhutanese craftspeople in maintaining their incredibly labor-intensive weaving industry by expanding the market for these beautiful fabrics. I hope to partner with the Tarayana Foundation, a Bhutanese organization whose mission is to help the vulnerable and the disadvantaged of Bhutan help themselves.
I was awe-struck by the beauty and color of these woven fabrics, and inspired by the dignity of the Bhutanese artists struggling to hold on to their culture and religion (both of which put an emphasis on handmade goods) in the face of technological changes and rampant globalization which could easily devastate tradtional Bhutanese values. The primary market for the fabrics woven by many Bhutanese villagers is domestic clothing. When I saw a beautiful antique coat in the Textile Museum in Thimphu, Bhutan, I wondered why they weren't being copied into garments for the tourist market that would certainly increase the value of the fabrics tenfold.
I learned that because the woven pieces usually remain as traditional keera (the national dress of Bhutan - rectangular pieces that are worn pleated and draped without sewing), rather than other finished products, seamstresses are rare in Bhutan. It seemed to me that few tourists have the imagination to see what exquisite coats, dresses, shirts and accessories this yardage could become.
When I returned home, with brightly-colored visions of fabric dancing in my head, I managed to purchase two kiras of silk-on-silk fabric, and contacted a seamstress friend. We drafted patterns for a Bhutanese-style vest and coat, heavily influenced by the antique coat in the Textile Museum in Thimphu, that would be simple enough to teach villagers to construct, but beautiful enough to produce a couture-quality garment to appeal to Western tastes. Early Spring 2007 was spent making up samples which I took to Bhutan in April of 2007.
I envision this page as documenting our progress with the project, showing samples of the lovely fabrics, the garments under construction, and finally the finished products for sale. In the meantime, please visit the Tarayana Foundation website and consider making a donation to this wonderful organization. Even a small gift will go a long way in helping to support their programs and keeping Bhutanese traditional arts alive.
