black

Saktut Raitawati in Bali presents this delightful rayon shawl, hand-stamped with an irregular pebble motif. Cool and airy, the shawl is slate gray with nuances of blue and green on a black background. The soft rayon fabric drapes beautifully.

Combining shades of lime green and black, Gobah Tengey-Seddoh creates an outstanding example of kente cloth art. Gray derives its symbolism from ash, used for healing and cleansing rituals. Black represents physical aging and the spiritual maturity it brings. Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events or proverbs.

Combining shades of pale gray and black, Gobah Tengey-Seddoh creates an outstanding example of kente cloth art. Gray derives its symbolism from ash, used for healing and cleansing rituals. Black represents physical aging and the spiritual maturity it brings. Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events or proverbs.

Combining shades of pale gray and black, Gobah Tengey-Seddoh creates an outstanding example of kente cloth art. Gray derives its symbolism from ash, used for healing and cleansing rituals. Black represents physical aging and the spiritual maturity it brings. Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events or proverbs.

The intricate texture in this handsome kente cloth shawl is inspired by beach pebbles. Designed by a fisherman around 1898, its name means "pebbles of the shore are hard to crack." The tiny blocks of pattern represent the thoughts of that ancestral craftsman. Handcrafted by the Gobah Tengey-Seddoh Family, this extraordinary double weave textile is one of the most difficult patterns to achieve. These expert weavers use traditional looms and a cotton blend.

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. But patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns, where the warp design is hardly visible, can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging, and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Raquel and Gregor let their Peruvian heritage of wondrous textile creations guide them to craft a sophisticated complement for the season. Baby alpaca, cotton and rayon threads unite in a palette of golden, black and ivory colors to form this exquisite shawl, boasting a classic pattern and fringes—ideal for showcasing your glorious grace.

Woven by hand, traditional West African kente cloth becomes a colorful scarf. Rachel Armah presents a traditional design known as Edwene Si Edwene So. The phrase means "double wisdom as special as gold" in the Akan language. Each strip of kente cloth requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, and white is purity.