IKAT Collection
The technique behind the mesmerizing Ikat fabric is named abrbandi, and originates in the word abr, meaning cloud. Abrbandi is said to have been born when a master dyer, watching clouds break apart on the surface of still water, tried to bind that fractured, drifting edge into thread. This resist-dyeing technique requieres for sections of silk thread to be bound tightly by hand with fibre that resists dye. Where the binding holds, the thread stays undyed; where it doesn't, colour penetrates, giving way to the most surprising patterns.
Covering alcoves or draped over bedding, the prestigious ikat fabrics became fashionable in the 19th century, when the designs turned vibrant and elaborate, and new weave structures, like satin and velvet, were introduced. In 2017 UNESCO inscribed Uzbekistan's abr silk-making on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
