The luxury carpet leader has joined hands with the celebrated design duo to launch the second phase of ‘Proud to be Indian’ collection available exclusively at abc carpet & home
New York, May 29, 2018 – OBEETEE, India’s largest luxury carpet maker, has launched the second edition of the ‘Proud to be Indian’ series with Abraham & Thakore, one of the most successful and respected fashion and design houses in India. Available exclusively at abc carpet & home, the new handcrafted collection of rugs fuses timeless traditional techniques with a bold, contemporary color palette and edgy artistry. The initiative is aimed at bringing the loom to the modern Indian context.
“The Abrabram & Thakore collection for OBEETEE celebrates modern India and its global impact today, while embracing the country’s rich heritage in textile design and its weaving traditions,” said Graham Head, Vice Chairman of abc carpet & home.
The new ‘Proud to be Indian’ collection touches upon India’s fascinating elements: The borders of vintage saris from Kanchipuram, block prints from Sanganer and the timeless tie and dye Bandhani from Kutch. The designs are also influenced by the geometry of double Ikat Telia Rumals and the art of calligraphy and its ornate lettering techniques. Other elements that are becoming an anomaly in our digital age like old handwritten letters, faded ink and calligraphic strokes have also been used in this labor of love.
On the launch of second edition of Proud to be Indian collection, Rudra Chatterjee, Chairman, OBEETEE, said, “We are proud to partner with Abraham & Thakore to create rugs that represent design, material and craftsmanship that are local, yet exceptional in heritage and quality. What attracted us was their mastery of design, which is both cutting-edge yet tied intricately to India’s ethos.”
“With projects such as the one with Abraham & Thakore, we will continue to make fine rugs, but using a new palette derived from the exceptional talent of our partners. We want to give our consumers high-end carpets that are not mass-produced. As we move towards completing 100 years in 2020, we will continue to pursue such opportunities to engage our weavers and help preserve their craft,” added Chatterjee.
Elaborating on the association, Angelique Dhama, Chief Marketing Officer, OBEETEE, said, “We were aware of the strong Persian and Central Asian design language of most carpets, we felt the time had come to showcase rugs influenced by India’s own textile traditions, but with an evolved design vocabulary. We are very excited to collaborate with Abraham & Thakore who, along with our most experienced weavers, have created some never-before-seen masterpieces. Though the inspiration comes from India’s rich heritage, the elements and colors are fresh and fun, making the whole compilation very contemporary. This collection reaffirms the ingenuity of the human hand.”
It took OBEETEE’s best weavers more than a year to weave one carpet. The carpets are all hand-knotted using different yarns and finishes. The details were carefully considered; the finest silk was procured and rugs were woven with a knot density of approximately 200 knots per square inch. Each piece has been designed to represent the modern and progressive India using a chic color palette.
“The carpets are also customized for our patrons. Each buyer can scan a QR code embedded in the tapestry of the carpet and read details about its weaver. The exclusivity of each carpet gives it a recherché charm and timeless elegance. These bespoke, limited edition rugs are made to adorn the homes of their proud owners for generations,” advised Dhama.
“When we were approached by OBEETEE, we were excited to be developing carpets with India’s finest carpet weaving company,” said designers Abraham & Thakore. “We found the premise of the project, which focuses on combining the finest carpet weaving skills of India with an Indian design sensibility, both challenging and timely.”
“The beauty of this collection lies in the technical virtuosity of a hand-knotted carpet, where millions of threads are individually knotted together to create the complex surface of matte and sheen. Each rug has a modern design voice with a rich traditional vocabulary of Indian design and craft. The design sensibility is low-key yet highly distinctive, with a strong respect for material, form and craft,” concluded the designers.