S jo Diary: Behind the scenes working on handwoven clothing and scarves
On my last trip to Pakistan in April 2023, we have been working on new collections of handwoven pieces that are made by master weaver Lal Buksh and also starting work with a new master weaver (details coming soon).
There is an interesting story behind our handwoven panel jackets which is that they were conceived from our handwoven scarves and came about through playing around with the scarves and with some hand embroidered panels and buttons.
It was a happy accident as it were and the results were not only one of a kind beauties but also quite popular. Therefore now I am working on a larger collection. Another interesting story I would like to share is that the phone number I had for master weaver Lal Buksh suddenly stopped working one day. The reality is that artisans change their phone numbers often due to costs, when another phone network gives a better pricing option they buy their sim card instead and it is not possible to transfer the same number to another network in Pakistan. It can also be due to loss, damage or theft. I had to try old school methods of contact post covid such as leaving a message enroute to the AGJ village on my last trip with someone he knew.
National Highway, Sindh
However, I did not hear back or the message was lost somewhere unable to get back to me. Then I asked the AGJ women to help me find his number through the craft village grapevine, although the villages are 2 hours away from each other and the communities are very different, the women through their contacts with other craft projects and NGOs managed to get a number of someone from the same village not Lal Buksh himself. It took over a year but through the women’s help I got back in touch with Lal Buksh and also will begin working with the kind soul who put us in touch on a different type of traditional weave which I will unveil later. Do stay tuned…for these collections later this year.
One of the latest fabrics on the pit loom
This helps us reflect that although we live in a fast paced world, there are parallel places where life is still lived to a slow pace which S jo’s design collections and working ethos echoes, cherishing objects for their value beyond its price as it is something someone first envisioned, enjoyed and took the time to make is enlivened through our pieces.
An assortment of cotton yarns for the warp and weft
