We are used to hearing these grand names of haute couturiers who use Uzbek ikat fabrics for their collections like John Galliano and Oscar de la Renta. In light of how much media covers work of big fashion houses smaller fashion brands are almost left unnoticed. Meanwhile they seem to be leaving some serious dents on fashion runways.

The other day I was googling something ikat related. The Google Almighty - sometimes this is how I feel we should start referring to Google since so much depends on it - led me to a website of a fashion designer whose name I never heard before – Alix of Bohemia.

Who Is Alex of Bohemia?

Alix of Bohemia is a fashion brand by Alix Verley-Pietrafesa, an Italian textile, French arts genes mixed with education in the University of Scotland, further infused by travels round the world, currently creating from New York City. The bohemian part comes from her passion for vintage things and ethnic textiles. Alix uses it all – embroidery, ikats, kantha quilting, block print fabrics. Of course, it is the Uzbek ikat fabrics part which we find the most interesting.

The inspiration for this suzani table decor collection came as a response to COVID-19 pandemic or rather our desire to be done with it.

To be done with the media noise, confusion, vaccination debates and illogical, often conflicting, data being fed to us. It was our way of saying “Enough is enough”. Basic precautions like avoiding large crowds remain but the goal is to drop fear and panic, to take charge of our wellbeing and to go on loving and celebrating our relationships.