Heading to Gujarat: What we're looking for this Autumn

There's a particular feeling I get a few weeks before a buying trip: a mixture of excitement and a very long list. This October, I'm heading back to India, and this time Gujarat is at the top of it.

If you read More Textiles Travels, you'll know these trips are the heart of what we do. Every lampshade, cushion and textile we sell starts with a conversation with a maker, and with a piece of cloth that someone has spent real time and skill creating. Gujarat is a region I've long wanted to spend more time in, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you as it unfolds.

Why Gujarat?

Gujarat has one of the richest textile traditions in India. Particularly in the Kutch region, techniques have been handed down through families and communities for generations, and many are still practised by hand today.

You'll find a depth of colour, pattern and craftsmanship here that is hard to find anywhere else, and much of it is wonderfully suited to the way we use fabric at Samarkand Design. Lit from behind as a lampshade, or living quietly in a room as a cushion, throw or hanging.

The crafts I'm hoping to find

Bandhani. Gujarat's tie-dye, where tiny points of cloth are bound by hand before dyeing, creating clusters of dots that form intricate patterns. Seen through a lampshade, the dotted designs glow beautifully. If you already love our Shibori lampshades, bandhani is a close and equally handmade cousin.

Ajrakh. A centuries-old block-printing tradition, usually in deep indigo and madder reds, with intricate geometric patterns. It's a slow, multi-stage process, and the results have a depth that's hard to describe until you hold a piece. For fans of our Bagru collection, it's a natural next step in the story of printed cloth.

Kutch embroidery. Colourful, detailed hand embroidery, often with tiny mirrors stitched into the cloth. Every piece is different, which is exactly why I love it. 

Patola and woven textiles. Gujarat is famous for patola, a double ikat weaving technique so demanding that a single piece can take months to complete. I'm not sure what I'll find, but I'll be looking.

What I'm looking for

My aim is always the same: pieces with a story and a maker behind them. On this trip I'm hoping to find:

• New fabrics and artisan collaborations for our lampshades
• Cushions, throws and textiles with real handwork in them
• One-off and small-batch pieces that you won't find anywhere else
• Colours and patterns to inspire next season's collections

I can't promise exactly what will come home with me, as that's part of the joy of it, but I'll share what I find as soon as I'm back.

Is there something you'd like me to look for?

If there's a colour, technique or piece you've been searching for, tell me. I'm always happy to keep an eye out for customers and for interior designers working on a particular project. If you're a designer, you can find out more about working with us on our Trade page, or simply get in touch with your wishlist before I go.

Follow along

I'll be sharing photos and stories from the road on Instagram, and there'll be a full post here once I'm home, with everything I've discovered.

Until then, wish me luck. And a bigger suitcase.