The event which took place at The Standard Hotel featured Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin, Maria Cornejo of Zero + Maria Cornejo, Roseanne Cash and Jessamyn Hatcher, a professor of Global Liberal Studies at NYU. It was a discussion about DIY, craft of all kinds and making.

Throughout the evening the words connection, designing and making and phrases like loving your thread and worn stories kept coming up. Each speaker spoke about their connection to textiles and the story behind each garment, some garments have a stronger story and hold a stronger connection to an individual. It’s a concept that gets you thinking about your clothes and beyond just the clothes but where did they come from. It’s a thought I think of often when I read labels for country of origin and try to imagine whose hands my garment passed through. I think in many cases we don’t spend too much time thinking about it. But when we do it makes you realize the interconnectedness in the world.

Of course since apparel was the topic of conversation, textiles comes into play and not only the creation of textiles but also their disposal once they become old and worn. Those things we have a connection to tend not to be disposed of so quickly and easily but those with less sentimental value end up being discarded. Perhaps they are given away to someone who may have a greater need for the item. More and more we hear about textiles being reused and transformed which makes me think of the Boucharouite carpets the Berber women in Morocco make. These wonderfully colorful carpets are made of fabric scraps. These scraps come from garments children no longer fit into or damaged textiles or really anywhere they can be found.

While speakers spoke and shared their stories, the audience listened while getting creative through fill in the blanks of a song and finger knitting. At the end I took the opportunity to introduce myself to Natalie Chanin who despite being busy with others wanting to chat with her was very gracious and calm. I must admit that being in that kind of creative environment left me feeling happy, inspired and so full of ideas. It was a great reminder to see so many people come together who believe in preserving craft, taking the time to make the crafts and truly be a part of the process. And also a wonderful reminder to keep sharing the work of the Moroccan artisans with you.

Here are some images of the evening….enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

After spending time in Morocco and working so closely with the women artisans who practiced hand embroidery, my fascination grew even greater, not to mention my appreciation.  So today, I thought I would share a little bit on the history of traditional Moroccan hand embroidery.  

The tradition of hand embroidery in Morocco is found everywhere from the small villages to the big cities and each city has its own unique style, technique, method and even colors.  Crafts abound in Morocco, but embroidery is the one craft that is practiced predominantly by women.  Many women embroider for their homes and families in their homes while others may embroider as part of a cooperative.  If they are part of a cooperative, there is a ma’allema who is a master in the craft and is there to help and guide the other women.  Embroidering not only creates community when part of a cooperative but in small villages, women will often gather together along with their children and embroider together.  The stronger embroiderers will teach those who are not so skilled.  

Of the many Moroccan cities with strong hand embroidery traditions, Fez is probably the center as it has been the center for trade and the arts for centuries.  Gold and silver threads are used to embroider on velvet and leather.  In Morocco, most all crafts are divided among those practiced by men and those by women.  Although hand embroidery is one mostly carried out by women, it is mainly execute on fabric and the men embroider on leather.  

The Fez stitch is probably the most common stitch used–a reversible back stitch worked in steps.  Threads are often counted in order to determine the design scale and layout.  Patterns are mainly geometric and the symbols tend to have meaning.  Often they resemble henna patterns or tattoos.  It is a very intricate process that requires sharp eyes.  

As with many of the handcrafts in the world, new technology seems to be taking over but no matter how closely replicated, nothing compares to the beauty and uniqueness of traditional handcrafts.  

Traditional Fez Embroidery

It all started with her idea to hand sew 200 one of a kind t-shirts. Unable to find someone to execute her vision, Natalie Chanin turned to textile workers in the south to get the job done. Many of the artisans she found to work with had lost their jobs as textile manufacturing moved out of the US.  Working together seemed like the perfect match.

And a perfect match it is.  Since much of Alabama Chanin’s aesthetic involves hand sewing to create hand embroidered and hand quilted pieces, these sewers and quilters truly were the ideal partners. Today Chanin works with 30 artisans and continues to give these women the opportunity to practice their craft. One can only imagine how much time, energy and love, because you must love what you are doing in order to produce such beauty.  From a recent video, I think it is a story the company and its employees stand behind proudly. As quoted by Chanin, “There’s nothing like a hand sewn piece.” “You cannot replicate it on a machine, it’s just not the same. And so, there’s a kind of life that comes in sewing by hand.” We couldn’t agree more. Stay tuned as I continue to share more about Alabama Chanin, as Natalie Chanin will be a guest speaker at the Makeshift event taking place in NY next week. Yes, I will be there and I am very much looking forward to the event.
In the meantime, please take a look at some of Alabama Chanin’s lovelies.

Alabama Chanin

Alabama Chanin

Alabama Chanin

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Here’s a bit of the Moroccan magic I love so much…courtesy of decor8blog.com

Moroccan Magic

I had been looking forward to the show since I bought the tickets about two months ago.  I must say I was not disappointed.  It was amazing!  The energy level was high and the audience loved every minute of it.  I know I was ready to jump out of my seat the moment the music started.  Luckily I did manage to keep still for a few minutes and I was able to capture some of the evening’s moments.  Please forgive the unsteady hand….I just wanted to dance….hope you enjoy the video as much I enjoyed the show.

I ended up buying Hassan Hakmoun’s latest CD, a signed copy I might add, which I have been listening to all day…it’s so great and definitely reminds me of the Marrakech souks and artisans…a must have!

World Music Institute: Morocco to Brooklyn

Which ones are your favorites?

Candle Centerpiece

Detail of Candle Centerpiece

Feels like clouds

Table by Echo

Herman Miller....love the tiny chairs at each place setting

Marimekko adds some color

This table seems to go on and on...

Ralph Lauren

Top Pick of 2012

I think this had to be my favorite....yarn stitched into the table....love combining unexpected materials!

The Moroccan courtyard in the museum was almost as lovely as what you might find in the riads of Marrakech.  I learned that the zelig tile work had been crafted by Moroccan artisans who had traveled all the way from Fez to New York to create and install the tiles.  Zelig is a form of tile work where the patterns are created by tiny pieces of tiles that have been hand cut into specific shapes and are then fit together like a puzzle.  A lot of hard work and long hours are required but the result is just beautiful! 

Click on the link to see a video on the master artisans at work.   If you are in New York, you may want to take a time out of your own to sit back, relax and take  in the beauty of Moroccan art and architecture.

http://blog.metmuseum.org/newgalleries2011/en/video-audio

Oh, and be on the look out as I will be posting some of my museum finds in the next few days.  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

So what caught my eye and for a moment took me back to the souks of Marrakech, was the Altuzarra collection.  Joseph Altuzarra, has said that “he regularly looks to the worlds of architecture and decor for ideas.”  “They’re my biggest inspiration,” he says.  “In architecture and interiors, as well as fashion there is an interaction that is both functional and aesthetic.”  

For Fall 2012, it was very clear that he looked to the worlds and decor, in particular, the Beni Ouarain rugs from Morocco.  These beautiful cream and off white carpets, which have made their way from up in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, are usually spotted by their simple geometric shapes in black or chocolate.  Most often these geometric shapes are simple lines and diamond patterns.  Lately, Beni Ouarain rugs are popping up all over the place for the home but to see these beauties in fashion was really quite a treat.  

Check out the link below to see these lovelies work the runway….can you spot them?  

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/style/fashionweek/runway.html#fall_2012_altuzarra

Enjoy!  

Check out the slide show for a new and interesting take on Beni Ourain carpets.  These traditional Moroccan If you take a look at the slid

Avant Garde Magazine: Patti Smith Photo Shoot featuring Lalla Belt

Avant Garde Magazine: Patti Smith Photo Shoot featuring Idris Belt

**Stylist:  Ashe Davis

www.ashedavis.com