Introducing Loom & Things - Wearable art rooted in craftsmanship
Founded by Guni Brar, Loom & Things is a London based brand that creates limited edition collections using traditional Indian handmade and vintage textiles. The uniqueness of the brand lies in the interplay of artisanal textiles to create timeless pieces that can be passed down generations. She is supported and advised by her mother, Anupinder Brar, who runs their in-house weaving centre to develop traditional textiles of Punjab, North India. The duo are on a mission to revive and preserve Punjabi craft and culture by empowering women artisans from their homeland.
It all started in 2022 with the realisation that heritage crafts such as the handloom Khes (an extremely durable textile that is hand-spun, handwoven and often used as bed covers and winter wraps) and phulkaris (heavily embroidered ceremonious cloth), which used to be an everyday sight in Guni’s childhood, were nowhere to be found. From the mid-19th century, mill and machine-made fabric began impacting the demand for Khes. Over time, once the sought-after skilled weavers in her ancestral village lost their weaving income. She was confronted by the question of how to viably preserve the craft and empower once gainfully employed weavers. She also came across Lockwood Kipling’s work on crafts of Punjab, who had likened the Khes to the ginghams and the checks of England. Hence, the idea was born to make something that incorporated these heritage techniques - enter the signature Khes jacket. The unique patterns and the snug embrace of these jackets struck a chord with people who also noticed the high quality of craftsmanship.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*
It all started in 2022 with the realisation that heritage crafts such as the handloom Khes (an extremely durable textile that is hand-spun, handwoven and often used as bed covers and winter wraps) and phulkaris (heavily embroidered ceremonious cloth), which used to be an everyday sight in Guni’s childhood, were nowhere to be found. From the mid-19th century, mill and machine-made fabric began impacting the demand for Khes. Over time, once the sought-after skilled weavers in her ancestral village lost their weaving income. She was confronted by the question of how to viably preserve the craft and empower once gainfully employed weavers. She also came across Lockwood Kipling’s work on crafts of Punjab, who had likened the Khes to the ginghams and the checks of England. Hence, the idea was born to make something that incorporated these heritage techniques - enter the signature Khes jacket. The unique patterns and the snug embrace of these jackets struck a chord with people who also noticed the high quality of craftsmanship.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*