Made in India

When Stephanie Moffitt, Mokum Design Director, joined the brand fresh out of design school, many of the textiles were handloomed due to the popularity the technique had garnered in the United Kingdom. As a young 24-year-old designer, Stephanie left New Zealand for the first time to visit India and witness the production of these traditional textiles. 

Mills typically outsource specific crafts such as handlooming to villages where communities have spent generations mastering their production. Handloomed textiles have evolved as the quality of the yarn and dyestuffs have improved, resulting in a higher quality cloth with an artisan appearance. However, it remains a delicate product, requiring special consideration in applications and care. 

Handloom by Mokum was created in 2018 as part of the Pure collection and the recently released Tennessee Tussah from The Royal Menagerie by Catherine Martin by Mokum is a continuation of this idea, updated with a touch of nostalgic 1970s glamour. Both are exquisite examples of artisanal textile craft and constructed in 100% viscose yarn, encouraging mindfulness and reflection they are celebrated for their inherent imperfections and the skill of the weaver to maintain the correct tension throughout the cloth.

Tennessee Tussah was born of the desire to replicate a silk without the negative qualities, such as vulnerability to UV light. “The only way to capture the irregularity of natural colour to the level of sophistication required was for it to be handspun and handwoven – thus we returned to the handloom.” Says Stephanie.

While embroidery has featured in previous collections, Jungle Room by Catherine Martin by Mokum reaches a new level of luxury, detail, and colour. Motifs from hand painted artworks in Elvis’s Graceland home were singled out and overlaid to decorate this complex, tropical infused textile on a 100% linen base. 

“Every mill we work with has a comprehensive design studio staffed by skilled artists with specialist knowledge. Jungle Room began as a simplistic CAD design and we had ideas of the styles of embroidery stitches we wanted to create, then worked closely with the mill to utilize their knowledge of embroidery – not only for stitch techniques but visually how it would piece together. We wanted to collaborate and for them to add value in order to get the best outcome.” Explains Stephanie.

Panthera by Catherine Martin by Mokum is woven in a decadent cut-pile velvet construction with a sunken leopard motif and a detailed rhythmic binding, adding further depth and dimension to the pattern. The mill Mokum created this design with specialize in luxury fibres, having invested in velvet looms over 15 years ago they are experienced in weaving patterns and most importantly, have the ability to customize the colour of the pile fibres, ensuring they speak to the plains within the range.

Inspired by the simplicity of traditional hand block printing, Enhance by James Dunlop was developed in our studio and printed in India. The basecloth is an organic and highly tactile blend of linen, jute, and cotton. Jute is an extremely strong fibre with a tactile handle and one of India’s most valuable crops; this blend amplifies the raw, crafted look of Enhance. 

From the outset the intention was to capture the irregularity of ancient hand block printing in the final design, where the absence of clean straight lines is part of its charm. When digitally printing onto such a heavily textured base cloth, a softness occurs as the ink subtly blends from the sharp edges of the design. The palette reflects the colours of traditional natural dyes including indigo, and pigmented shades of ochre and terracotta.

"James Dunlop’s Fusion collection is an exploration of textile craftsmanship, investigating tactility, form, and function through various artisanal weaving and finishing techniques. The range was inspired by nature, where beauty is found in inherent imperfections, and responds to the growing desire to assemble slow crafted products within the home." Says Annie Moir, James Dunlop Design Director.

Intricate handwork crafts and a natural affinity for colour and pattern have been present in Indian textiles for centuries, but rather than resting on tradition these mills have embraced technological advancements to modernize their unique cultural handwriting.