The Long Read...

I have just spent the last month in India, primarily in Ladakh, to fulfil a dream, to camp with the Changpas, a nomadic pastoral community situated in the Chantang region of Ladakh. At 4500 metres above sea level this important grazing eco system, is part of the western region of the Tibetan plateau. I have visited their summer camp several times before, just for a day each time, but to submerge myself into their daily routines, and experience a way of life so remote has cap

At the beginning of January, it was my privilege to lead a small group of wonderful women from the UK & USA on a journey into the incredible delights of Gujarat hand crafted textiles. Our tour started in Delhi, where we took a flight to Bhuj, a small city in the far west of India… a relatively remote area known for its impressive embroideries and weaving. I have been visiting this area since the 1980s, when it was just a dusty charming little town, now a bustling thriving ci

I have not been back long from our recent adventures into the Himalayas, with five wonderful ladies, all with a passion for travel and textiles… As I reflect on the experience, my heart rejoices with gratitude for such a joyful experience. Ladakh is an incredible “shangri-La” mystical place high above the tree line, perched in the rocky deserts of the Himalayas. Arriving by plane into an altogether different world, I never fail to feel the joy of returning to this land, an

No - we're not talking about the next Netflix blockbuster but the noble history of Ikat cloth! Creativity, trade, power, prestige and migration, all play a role in the history of Ikat. This is a cloth linked to royalty, religion and community. The word Ikat itself is derived from the word 'mengikat', the Indonesian word meaning 'to tie'. The actual origins of Ikat seem to be less clear, some argue it's derived from Indonesia, while others suggest it's possibly a weaving tech