The art of Jamdani weaving

I love ethnic textiles: block prints, ikat, suzanis, kalamkari - you name it, I love it.

That's why I was excited to receive this recommendation from tanjinaquazi via ThisNext for Afera Designs, a company that seeks to keep alive the art of weaving Jamdani. According to Chandana Banerjee of colouroftherain.blogspot.com, "The method of weaving resembles tapestry work in which small shuttles of coloured, gold or silver threads, are passed through the weft [yarns that are run horizontally in a loom]." Jamdani is practiced near Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

A Jamdani weaver at work

Decorative arts such as Jamdani are at risk of dying out, as the weavers cannot support themselves by practicing their traditional art. Many go to work in the garment factories that churn out cheap clothing for export. Fortunately, companies such as Afera Designs are dedicated to keeping decorative arts alive and creating new markets for them.

D&G Dolce & Gabbana rips off Marimekko Unikko print

The print on this D&G Dolce & Gabbana Poppy-Print Dress looks exactly like Marimekko's famed Unikko print! No word if Marimekko granted a license to D&G Dolce & Gabbana to use this print.

Marimekko granted a license to H+M to use some of its prints for a recent limited edition collection. In the fall, Avon will debut a limited edition cosmetics collection using the Unikko print under license from Marimekko.

Found through Bergdorf Goodman.

UPDATE: The Glam Guide told me that D&G Dolce & Gabbana did indeed rip off Marimekko's Unikko print. Read her comments and follow the links to read about her campaign to alert Marimekko and retailers selling D&G Dolce & Gabbana and Charles by Charles David shoes that these two brands were stealing the Unikko print. Thanks, G.G., for the info and for introducing me to your blog!

The Style Page interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin - Part 3

In the third and final part of this interview, Matin discusses becoming Neutrogena Cosmetics' makeup artist, makeup tips, and his hobbies.

10. Tell me about Neutrogena approaching you to be its makeup artist. Are you also providing creative direction through developing new products and color palettes?

I met some Neutrogena people at a dinner party and we talked shop. Next thing I know, I got a call from them me asking me if I was interested in working with them. It was important for Neutrogena to have a make-up artist who not only understands how to apply cosmetics, but also the science behind them. Because of my science background, it was a perfect fit. I am providing direction on shades, textures and I test drive all the upcoming color products prior to production.
11. Can you share with our readers any advance information about new products from Neutrogena?

As always, Neutrogena will be launching products that are innovative while being both beautiful and beneficial.

12.Women want to know how to apply makeup and look beautiful, so this is probably the part that will interest readers the most:

a. For me (and probably many other women), shading the crease is probably the trickiest part of makeup application. It’s important to me, as I have deep-set eyes. What do you recommend in terms of eye shadow shades, choice of brushes, and application?

If you have deep set eyes, you do not want to “shade” the crease. This will make your eyes look even more deep set. Instead, try a wash of neutral beige (skin color) all over the eyes, then go with a taupe or caramel color and use it lightly on the brow bone to make the brow bone recede. Best is to use a fluffy small eye shadow brush (like laura mercier’s eye color brush) made of sable hair for the wash all over, and a smoother brush (like laura mercier crease brush) made of squirrl hair on the brow bone and under the brow to get a very sheer application of the powder eye shadow.

b. How best to apply foundation? By dotting the cheeks, “stippling,” or other means? Fingertips, sponge, or brush? If you use a sponge, do you moisten it or use it dry?

Use a dampened sponge with oil free foundation. Put the foundation in your palm and press the sponge (egg shape is the best) in to the palm of the hand to absorb the foundation. You should not see the foundation on top of the sponge. Then apply by patting the sponge and moving it quickly starting with flat areas of the face (cheeks) and neck and use very little if at all around the eyes and sides of the nose, smile lines and laugh lines.

For moisturizing, still one can use a damp sponge, or a brush or even fingers

13.Are you planning to write a book on makeup application?

Not yet. I don’t have any new concept for a book on make-up, but a book I will write, just not on make up ;-)

14.Your biography states that you enjoy “practicing Calligraphy, studying Islamic and Gothic architecture and shopping for exotic ethnic textiles.” I like textiles, too – especially block-printed textiles from India (see my blog posting Block-printed textiles, http://thestylepage.blogspot.com/2006/08/block-printed-textiles.html) and suzanis from Central Asia. However, I can’t find the bold suzanis online that I see in Domino. What textiles are capturing your attention now?

Well, I have always had a soft spot for suzani and chain stitching. I now have a foundation in Afghanistan called Afghan Hands Inc. (www.afghanhands.org) which is mainly a literacy program but it also employs the women (war widows) to do embroidery. We do bold patterns in wearable scarves and shawls using suzani and chain stitching and using the old traditional flowers on the fabrics but with a more modern color scheme.

Red shawl from Afghan Hands

Postscript: Matin was recognized as one of CNN Heroes for his role as a community crusader in starting Afghan Hands. He is currently on travel in Afghanistan and posts to the afghanhands blog.

A fabulous resource on home design too good to keep to myself

I was watching Sheila Bridges: Designer Living on the Fine Living TV Network yesterday, which had a feature on Pintura Studio, a design firm that designs and hand cuts stencils that are then used to hand print fabric and wallpaper. As Pintura Studio uses a lot of (Asian) Indian motifs, and I love these motifs (see my post on Block-printed textiles), I wanted to find Pintura Studio's web address. I Google'd on Pintura Studio, and found this resource: HomePortfolio.

Although I had just discovered HomePortfolio, many others had discovered it before: there are nearly 1200 saves of its home page in My Web from Yahoo!

HomePortfolio is a fabulous resource for everything to decorate your home. It presents offerings from many vendors and enables you to create your own online portfolio of items for the home. That's why I'm making special notice of this site through The Style Page blog.

Links for Pintura Studio and HomePortfolio may be found on My Web (tag: home).

PS Despite recent pictures of Sheila Bridges with a bald head, I am assured that she is in good health.

Block-printed textiles

The June-July 2006 issue of Domino had a feature on creating cushions and pillows with Indian block printed textiles. Its palette of white with pops of red used fabrics from Kerry Cassill and Les Indiennes.

The process of block printing, from creating the designs to transferring the design onto wood to carving the wood blocks to printing, is shown in a photo essay on the eSamskriti web site.

I have a duvet cover and reversible coverlet (the back side is a striped fabric) from John Robshaw in brown and blue on a natural background. It's pricey, and my husband, who is a native of India, didn't want to tell his mother how much he paid for it - she'd argue that he could get it much cheaper in India.


Block printed textiles from Pomegranates,
featured with Jaipur blue pottery
Visit the photo essay on Jaipur blue pottery making on esamskrati

Other sources for Indian block printed textiles include FabIndia (mentioned previously), Anokhi, and Pomegranates, a store located in Warrenton, Virginia, outside of Washington, DC. Wendy, who owns Pomegranates, sources her bedding and curtain panels directly from India; in addition, she sells select items from John Robshaw (including crib sets) and select apparel from Anokhi.

Peter Dunham is an LA-based interior designer who also sources blockprinted textiles from India. See his work for Jennifer Garner's home in the fall/winter 2007 issue of Vogue Living.

Links for Kerry Cassill, John Robshaw, and FabIndia may be found on our Textiles page. Links for Les Indiennes, Anokhi, Pomegranates, and Peter Dunham may be found via My Web.

Erin Go Bragh

Wow! Talk about serendipity!

I discovered this bed set from Luxury Lab Linens today via roxi on This Next, the day before St. Pat's.

Check out the claddagh rings on the shams! (via roxi)