Custom Alpaca/Wool and Leather Rug

We love this recently installed alpaca/wool and leather custom rug. It was designed for an exclusive interior design firm through our New York showroom, ALT for Living.

My Mum's Jewellery

While living in Beirut in the early 70's, my mum worked with a local jeweller, Hovic, to create some wonderful jewellery using ancient Roman beads.  She has kept the best pieces but the rest are going on sale at Bonhams in London on April 13th.  I love this picture of her...we left when I was eight but I am sure living there influenced me greatly and I have very strong and good memories from that time.

To view the entire Bonhams collection, follow this link.

Reflections on Peru

I have seen a lot of change in Peru over the 16 or so visits that I have made in the last 7 years.  It goes beyond the great restaurants, massages at the airport and multiple Starbucks (a negative from my perspective...when I am there I swap my ritualistic crema topped espresso for the local mate de coca). It has been very rewarding to see the artisans, whether they are from the dye house, are rug makers, or machine and hand weavers, change for the better.   They have improved their homes and places of work in part, or largely as a result of, the business I, we, have been able to give them. Of course with this growth comes the pressure to continue to build my business. When I go out to meet them, as we look at their new premises and I congratulate them, they all want reassurance that things will continue to go well.  All I can do is promise that I will do everything I can to ensure they do!

Final Day in Peru

Today is my final day in Peru.  Thought it would be interesting to show how some of our accessories and fabric are made. 

 Alpaca boucle throw being woven on a hand loom.

The final product...Double Boucle Foam Throw.

Peru - Day 3

I love coming to Peru to work directly with the artisans who make our products.  Here we are working out the design for a rug before it goes on the loom.

And even though rug making is a craft that is handed down from generation to generation here in Peru, things do change a bit over time. Here I am getting a lesson on the new warp tension tool for the new loom.

Yesterday I posted a picture showing how the yarn is hand painted for my hand painted boucle rugs.  This is a picture of the final product coming off the loom.  One of my favorite rugs.

Peru - Day 2

Inspecting some hand painting of yarn used for my hand painted boucle rugs. This is a temporary workshop.

On My Way to Peru

I have been traveling to Peru twice a year for 7 years now. I go to meet with all the artisans responsible for my rug knotting, hand and machine weaving, and then there is the all important dye master. I personally work out any production issues and check on current projects. And then I get down to the business...I start to develop new ideas and products for future collections.

This is Day 1, Lima airport. Three generations of pure Peruvian Indian blood. And I just love the snow white trophy Barbie in the picture.

Stay tuned, I will keep you updated on my travels.