long shawl

Lines of cherry hues adorn this sweet and radiant design, perfect for making you shine at any event. Guatemala's Elena Ixtamer crafts the shawl using cotton on a traditional loom, arranging each color on a yellow base hue. As the final touch, Elena adds fringes for a stylish vibe.

History tells of Ahilya Bai Holkar, the Philosopher Queen renowned for her wisdom and bravery who commanded armies into battle. She once commissioned weavers to design long sarees without floral motifs, as she did not care for them. Weavers drew inspiration from the detailing on the Maheshwar Fort, and wove intricately patterned fabrics that have come to be known as Maheshwari weaves. Indian artisan Rajveer preserves this legendary tradition with this bright yellow shawl, woven on a hand loom with a cotton and silk blend featuring discreet shades of green and rose.

Golden highlights add a regal touch to this superlative textile by the Gobah-Tengey family. Created in rich kente cloth strips, its name means "Conference in Angola." Takpekpe was designed in 1950 by the late Atsu Gobah Tengey-Seddoh to commemorate a special meeting called by the colonial governor to discuss an additional tax or levy being imposed on the subjects. The conference raised voices against the payment of the special levy.

Expert weavers, the Gobah Tengey-Seddoh Family creates this outstanding shawl in 100% cotton. 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.

Hand wash in cool water and use a warm iron.