Ikat and its legends
By Véronique Schiltz
Orientalist, Member of the Institut de France
IKAT. The term originates in Indonesia, where it means “to tie”. It refers to fabrics whose variety of designs arises from a long-distance voyage, and whose journey from Asia to the West, and along the Silk Road, rendered them universal.
More than a mere textile or pattern, ikat is an interplay of the rigorous and the arbitrary, of contours that are real yet indistinct, of colours subtly intertwined, blended and opposed, and of shapes that seem recognisable yet resist identification. In short, it weaves a path between naturalism and abstraction, offering an intimation of the world rather than a representation of it. This age-old skill requiring patience and precision is the result of extremely sophisticated calculations. The pattern is first designed and marked up on the loom; then the hanks of warp or weft threads are tied one by one, before being plunged into the dye bath, a process repeated as many times as there are colours. It is only then that the weaving begins, bringing the chosen pattern to life as it emerges, diffuse and fluid, as if floating. Because however precise the markings and however dextrous the craftsmen, the result still retains a certain unexpected, unpredictable quality, a fabulous springboard for the eye and the imagination.
The pioneers of the avant-garde and the artists of the Russian ballets, for whom ikat was a tremendous source of inspiration, were not mistaken. Can it be mere chance that the languages of both East and West use the word “cloud” to describe the patterns of ikat? In Europe, Asia, Africa and as far afield as South America, ikat fabrics are indeed cloud-like – always the same but never identical. Each one is unique, in the same way that behind the diversity of peoples, their languages and cultures, stands the individual, in all its singularity.
Ubiquitous, but more certainly nomadic, ikat has spread throughout the world over the centuries. Known as “patola” in India and as “kasuri” in its habitually indigo form in Japan, in France and among the silk makers of Lyon it became “chiné à la branche”, adorned with delicate floral patterns. And so it was that the young Marie-Antoinette of Austria was depicted wearing a silk dress with an ikat pattern in a pastel painting sent to the Dauphin, the future Louis XVI, in order to introduce him to his fiancée.
Ikat was a sign of wealth, a proof of prosperity that ennobled everything it touched. After the Royal Courts of Europe, it was thus adopted in the 19th century by the Khans and Emirs of Central Europe, who donned layers of heavy ceremonial coats with colourful patterns that seemed to descend directly from the minarets of Samarkand and Khiva, or to be inspired by the paradisiacal gardens of Bukhara.
That the art of ikat achieved its apogee in Central Asia is hardly surprising. Was this region not, along with the Silk Road, the link between East and West, between China and Rome, between Persia and Byzantium? True, the fabled caravan road was accompanied by a sea route with staging posts in India and Arabia.
In both cases, colour appears as a kind of revenge over the uniformity of a desert that is too ochre in summer, too white in the winter, or of a sea, too often starting and re-starting. Hence the saturated blues, the intense reds, the vibrant greens of spring grass, and their joyous combinations. Their shapes, meanwhile, their symmetry, their off-centred and repetitive nature, draw the gaze further and further towards an ever-receding horizon in order to prevail over the space, much as music achieves mastery over time, resembling the wake of a distant galleon, or the footsteps of a camel in the sand…
One legend recounts that ikat was invented by a weaver, distraught at having to hand over his beautiful daughter to an old King, who wished to end his life indulging in the finest things his kingdom had to offer. With a heavy heart, he sat on the banks of a stream and allowed his gaze to wander. The ripples on the surface of the water reflected a sky of an intense sapphire blue. The emerald green leaves on the trees shimmered, as did the veined bark of their trunks. A few garnet-red tulip petals drifted hither and thither. A bird passed by, fleeting, its wings reflected in the rippled water and multiplied infinitely in a quivering symmetry. Iridescent patches of light glinted, reminding him of the inimitable sparkle of his daughter’s eyes. Suddenly, seized by inspiration, he returned home and worked tirelessly to capture this wonderful mirage in his fabrics. The King, who had never seen anything so beautiful, so sensuous, or so perfect as the fabric that the weaver laid before him, was overcome. Forgetting the young girl, he abandoned himself entirely to this visual, sensual and spiritual pleasure.
How could he have imagined that, one day, a designer would follow in the weaver’s footsteps and migrate from the silky suppleness of fabric to the polished brilliance of porcelain in order to share the enchantment of ikat?
a&e meets Hélène Dubrule, General Manager Hermès Maison at the prestigious contemporary art center, Palais de Tokyo in Paris during Couture week, and we share the following chat.
Why are we here today?
Pierre Alexis Dumas, our Artistic Director, wanted Leila Menchari to propose a décor. Leila’s work and heritage within the Maison has been a fruitful and artistic relationship since 1977. Her vision and art have been synonymous with the Maison’s 24 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré store windows, still capturing the eye and hearts of passers-by to date.
She has a talent to tell a story with décor. Leila is very fond of textiles and when she saw the tableware service, she had the idea of working with the american artist Sheila Hicks, a contemporary artist who has been working with textiles for almost 30 years. So the Voyage en Ikat collection was installed along with Sheila’s other works that projected the scenery of the Baôli region of Indonesia.
With this collection, Hermès brought out the colours and flavors of the Indonesian art of Ikat.
How do you assess the tableware industry now and what do you think customers are looking for?
The tableware industry and market is a tough market worldwide and not growing much. There are more and more mainstream brands.
Nevertheless we at Hermès continue to grow and look forward to more exciting future steps ahead. There is space for quality and exceptional high end products especially in markets like the USA, Russia and the Middle East.
Our goal is to propose things that no one can do in terms of audacious creativity. We stand for this renewed creativity and for telling cultural and historical stories using both traditional and very innovative skills and techniques.
Tell us more about the DNA of Hermès Maison and the brand’s values
An Hermès object is always a mix of creation and know how. It is the perpetual creativity renewed based on the history of Hermès or culture. It could be something from our heritage or something like Ikat, a beauty in the world, or even an ancient skill mixed all together with craftsmanship. The two pillars of Hermès are the craftsmanship and creativity and there is no compromise on quality.
How do you assess the performance of Hermès Maison in the Middle East?
Hermès has had always a steady growth for many years. Our strongest market is Dubai. We expect to bring Hermès Maison to a new momentum with the renovation of Dubai Mall store, which is planned for next year.
We also have our stores in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
What is the best selling item among your collections, and what is your personal favourite?
If we take the tableware category, it is the Cheval D’orient and we anticipate great success for the Voyage en Ikat collection.
If we take the Maison as a whole, we are very strong in textiles and throws for the home, and in specific the Avalon.
My personal favourite would be our first collection of office lighting that is very Innovative.
What’s an objective you still aim to achieve at Hermès Maison?
We have opened now all territories that we want to enter in terms of products. We did it with furniture, fabrics, wallpaper, and lighting. Our objective is to renew our collections with the quest for excellence and to search for savoir-faire, skills and new material. We aim to be outstanding, very singular and very different. Finally, to work further on our bespoke pieces offering, as it is a very strong part of our development.
Describe Hermès Maison in a phrase
Our dream is to bring a touch of poetry to the house with exceptional products that will provide a bit of happiness.
