Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in these beautiful collections from Kashmir. Your support will truly make an impact. I’ve seen how hard these four artisan clusters have worked over the past year to develop their new collections and participate in training programs facilitated by Aid to Artisans to improve their know-how. They’ve done their absolute best, teaming up with designers to help bring their techniques to life in innovative new ways. It was our goal to not simply design these beautiful collections but also to show you the materials and techniques available in Kashmir that you can design into to make your brand stand out.

This week, I am delighted to show you the last of the four new collections from Kashmir and this one is all about wool. It’s a collection of scarves and stoles, designed by US-based consultant and designer, Stacy Spivak. The collection was facilitated by Aid to Artisans/ Creative Learning to help create market opportunities for artists in Kashmir, India while working with Rangsutra and the Bandipora Weavers Producer Company. Stacy worked with the artists to update their traditional striped and color-blocked patterns with a chic, earthy palette. We are featuring a line of accessories (scarves and stoles) but these fabrics can also be ordered by the yard and made into custom designs such as lumbar pillows, easy bed throws, and more.

As you’ve seen throughout the last few weeks, Kashmir is home to a wealth of creative craft traditions. I’m delighted to share one more with you. This new collection celebrates the art of crewel embroidery. It was created in partnership with Aid to Artisans/ Creative Learning, Rangustra enterprise, and the Nooraari Crafts Producer Company. The designer is Hemangini Rathore Singh. The end goal was not only to create a beautiful export-ready collection but also to build market employment opportunities to help keep this ancient art alive for future generations of Kashmiri artists. This colorful collection was inspired by the hues and motifs which remind us of summer, working with both cotton and silk that allow the fine embroidery work to shine.

The second of the four new 'Made in Kashmir' collections is a beautiful Papier-Mâché line designed by the Aid to Artisans/Creative Learning (ATA) team and Aviva Maya Shulem Design NYC, crafted by artists in Kashmir. I am delighted to promote this project with the support of ATA, to help create market opportunities for artists in India.

This collection resonates with a sense of innovation, environmental sensitivity, and aesthetic timelessness as the artists transform recycled paper pulp and wood into gorgeous decorative accents for your clients’ homes. The process doesn't require the use of any electricity as the pieces are made entirely by hand. The artists work with upcycled materials and use natural sunlight for drying. Sasha Association for Craft Producers a non-profit organization, is facilitating this project alongside the Zadibal Craft Producer Company in Kashmir.

This month, I am delighted to dive deep into four different artisan groups from India whom I have been working with via Aid to Artisans, to help create market opportunities for artists in Kashmir, India. Over the course of the next month, I will be featuring four new collections, recently designed and developed in partnership with a series of talented designers as a way to bring fresh, new sustainable home décor collections to you.

This month, I was honored to interview Marissa Maximo of Anaak Collection. If you haven't yet seen her line of artisanal apparel, get ready to be swept away by her collections. They evoke ease and approachability. Marissa scouts the globe, searching for the highest quality craftsmanship and materials, presenting a chic, bohemian line of feminine apparel. Marissa shares her thoughts on how Anaak competes in the competitive luxury market. Our candid conversation includes her take on artisan as a luxury, her most successful marketing strategies and how she balances artisan and machine-made products to keep up with demand (her key to creating a sustainable business model).