OBEETEE and Abraham & Thakore Collaborate to Create Rugs with a Modern Sensibility Focusing on Textiles, Craft and Traceability

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.

About abc carpet & home
abc carpet & home is a global leader sparking change through commerce. Sourcing goods that are created with sustainability and fair labor standards in mind, we have pioneered a path all our own, creating and nurturing a marketplace built on craftsmanship, quality and integrity. We look to raise the standards of the ordinary and ignite a shift in the global retail space to captivate and cultivate a healthy home and a healthy planet for all.  For more information, visit  www.abchome.com, 212-473-3000. The flagship is located at 888 Broadway (at 19th Street), New York, NY 10003.

About OBEETEE
OBEETEE is one of the largest handmade rug makers in India and one of the oldest hand-woven rug companies in the world. OBEETEE’s outstanding quality and reputation have earned the interest of many famous and notable people. Founded as Oakley Bowden & Taylor in 1920, OBEETEE has grown to 650 permanent employees and works with more than 25,000 independent artisans who are engaged in weaving and processing our rugs in India. The Rashtrapati Bhavan is home to two majestic OBEETEE rugs, the largest measuring more than 4,865 square feet and containing billions of intricate knots.

OBEETEE has the greatest in-house capabilities of any rug-maker in India, thanks to its modern dyeing plant and inspired design department. The OBEETEE color bank holds over 4,000 color-fast shades of wool. The designers at OBEETEE continuously study new textures and fresh combinations, to ensure the production of the finest quality rugs available in India.. OBEETEE is the first industry company to receive the coveted SA 8000:2001 certification for Social Accountability and adheres to strict standards in every area of conduct-from working hours and collective bargaining to workers’ safety and health. OBEETEE strongly supports children’s education, access to sanitation and the economic empowerment of women in the villages where it operates. The carpet leader’s environmental programs reflect its progressive manufacturing framework and conserve water and other natural resources.

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