The Story Behind the Ikat Print
10th May 2016
Our print of the season.
One of the most popular designs of the moment, making an appearance in everything from interiors to the catwalk, Ikat is having something of a moment. But far from being a new trend, examples of this fabric can be traced as far back as the Dark Ages, throughout the whole world.
We took inspiration from this ancient fabric for our new inky blue women’s wear print range, which is proving to be one of our most popular collections of the season, but what exactly is Ikat?
Forms of Ikat fabric can be found from Uzbekistan, South East and Central Asia, India, Japan, Africa and South America, to name but a few – each region producing their own designs and patterns by using the same weaving and dyeing techniques. Without getting too technical, Ikat patterns are created by dyeing either the warp threads – that are fixed to the loom, or the weft threads that are woven in to create the fabric, or both. The pattern is determined by the way in which the dyed threads are woven in to the structure of the fabric, it’s a complex and skilled process that’s usually passed down through generations. Unique and indigenous to the area it’s produced.
Our print was created to look like traditional forms of Ikat, using summer-ready inky blues and white. Due to the nature of the dyeing and weaving of Ikat fabric the pattern has something of a blurry lined effect, our print designers created this by hand painting the design in water colours to give the appearance of softer edges.
We love the heritage of this iconic fabric which is why we’ve incorporated our Ikat-inspired prints into summer-ready items to layer into your seasonal wardrobe. Which one’s your favourite piece?
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