The Shawl That Came In From The Desert
DHEBARIA RABARI EMBROIDERY
SHAWLS, BAGS, CUSHION COVERS
In the textile world, Rabari shawls are famous.
Instantly recognizable for the combination of black handwoven wool, hand-tied bandhani patterning and forceful Rabari embroidery. Few people in the west know that these shawls are also a collaborative relationship between three traditional communities living in the Kachchh Desert of western India. The shawls travel the desert, passing from hand to hand, from community to community, as they slowly come to life.
The wool is first spun by nimble-fingered Rabari elders. The yarns are then woven into shawls by the Vankar weavers. The blank cloths are passed to the Khatris, who are dyers (you may know the famous block-printing Khatris). The Khatris bandhani-tie the cloth and then dye it. When this work is completed the shawls are passed, once again, back to the Rabari - this time to a sub-group, the Dhebaria Rabari. Everyone in the desert has their skill and the Dhebaria are renowned for their geometric appliqué embroidery style.
We love these shawls - each one is a masterpiece. But, perhaps even more than the textile itself, we love what the making of this shawl says about creativity, craft, and working together with people living outside your own community. Each one of these shawls is already worldly by the time it comes in from the desert. It has a story to tell.
To our U.S. customers – don't forget that the exchange rate works in your favour, it's like an extra discount.
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