[ ACCIDENTALLY AWESOME ] An Ethnic Design Love Affair

One of the things I love about ethnic design is the ubiquitous use of bold, graphic lines and geometrical shapes. Be it a piece of jewellery or a intricately woven wall hanging, look closely at those patterns, they may be repeated over and over, doused in brilliantly saturated hues and created using a myriad of techniques but, whatever the item, that nature of simplicity still remains: unpretentious and modest. It's those easy lines, imperfectly round and slightly off centre, or perhaps even that accidental skip of a stitch or out-of-sync pattern repeat that only adds to the beauty and authenticity of the piece. 

I love that offbeat, 'I'd rather go and play' feeling that exudes from those folksy, bohemian trends we just can't seem to get enough of. To put it simply: it's got character. Why spend your time worrying about automated precision when you can have so much fun making it with your hands?

So in honor of time spent with a needle and thread, a paintbrush, a silk screen and a piercing saw, here's a few of my current favorite ethnic inspired images and artworks. And if this selection just doesn't cut it for you, hop on over to my Ethnic Art Pinterest board for an extra dose of ethnic overload. 

All images from Wandering Threads 'Ethnic Art' board on Pinterest. For individual credits please see individual images.

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[ SUN JEWELLERY ] House of Harlow 1960

1.14K YG Plated Zig Zag Starburst Ring 2.Totem Poll Cuff 3. Double Finger Ring Silver 4. Fringe Necklace Gold 5. Cushion Cocktail Ring with Turquoise 6. Aztec Bangle 7. Feather Necklace 8. Double Metal Sunburst Ring Gold 9. 14k YG Plated Engraved Stack Ring (set of 3) 10. Chevron 5 Station Necklace in Rose Gold

If you're a) obsessed with all things ethnic (which I assume is why you are reading this), b) surfing the net for some statement jewellery to perk up i) those pre-planned SS'12 looks or ii) current mood because you're evidently yet to try out said looks due to typical crap weather or c) window shopping for inspiration/wishfully lusting after items knowing you're bank balance is about to collapse (along with the rest of the worlds economy), I've got the label to lust after for you! And breathe....

Unexpectedly NOT following in the footsteps of other Tinseltown celebrity fashion lines, House of Harlow 1960 by ex-jailbird/Hollywood heiress Nicole Richie isn't too shabby. In fact, it's really quite appealing, so let me endorse it some more: Faux coin tiered earrings, chunky cuffs engraved, embossed and cut away to recreate those oh-so-simple lines and shapes so well imbued with ethnic design, rings that remind me of sundials and stone-encrusted amulets like something from an ancient Aztec legend... no? Imagination running away with me again? Ok, but you see what I’m getting at and its definitely leagues away from what you would have expected from Paris Hilton's BBF...or is it ex-BBF? I can't keep up.

Click on the numbered links to snap up some of these beauties over at Boutique to You. Alternatively, for all you Ozzie's, get your House of Harlow jewellery and loads of other cool alternatives over at House of Zoi - a great online store and one of my favorite online Australian stores.

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[ BOOK LOVE ] India: Essential Encounters & Nomad by Sibella Court

 

Recently I have taken (back) up one of my favorite pastimes: trawling through bookstores. Now that I am living back in a city again, I am no longer deprived of arty magazines and beautiful coffee table books, so heavy they could double as an iron door stop. Ahh the bonuses of stationary city dwelling... Anyway, I've noticed of late that most of my readers are arriving at Wandering Threads through fairly specific culture and artisanal related references, so this post is for you lot - 'wishyouwere' travellers and itchy fingered design fanatics - feast your eyes on two of my top pictorials volumes of the moment.

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India: Essential Encounters by Richard I'Anson and Sarina Singh

This book is jaw-droppingly stunning. I first discovered it in November 2010 during an attempt to while away my rainy lunch hour in a bookstore, with daydreams of my upcoming Asia trip. And dream I did, every lunchtime then on, until May last year. Seriously. India: Essential Encounters is published by travel guide giants Lonely Planet and features an astounding collection of 650+ colour photographs, spanning 44 of India's most breathtaking destinations. It's seemingly endless pages are strewn with images taken by internationally renowned photographer Richard I'Anson over a period of 23 years (since his first trip to the country in 1986). From the beachfront bazaars of Goa to the otherworldly riches of Rajasthan's palaces, this book is pure travel eye candy, and a sure-fire way to get you on that plane (hopefully not straight onto the streets of Delhi).

Tip: pick this one up in store, don't order it online - it weights an absolute ton!

Find out more about the photographer at: richardianson.com

All images courtesy of Richard I'Anson for Lonely Planet. 

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Nomad: A Global Approach to Interior Style by Sibella Court

I stumbled across this one just the other day, actually. Can you guess what drew me to it? Yup, might be the giant NOMAD written across that richly hued ikat fabric. I just can't get enough of texture, so when opened this crafty book I was instantly hooked. Please someone buy it for me when I get home (it will pretty much consume my entire cabin weight limit)?! Take a peak at some of these snapshots of the pages. The whole book is designed as if it were Sibella's own sketchbook. Sibella, by the way, has been lucky enough to travel vastly across continents during her years as a interior designer and visual merchandiser, picking up bits and bobs along the way. 

http://rstyle.me/hgw4fbm6neThe book is separated into sections, each covering one of Sibella's trips to a myriad of countries including Mexico, Italy, Japan and of course, India (it had to be there somewhere). The pages are chockablock with collaged photo montages, fabrics, beads and other bits and bobs to demonstrate how you can bring home and accessorise your living spaces with your travel finds. For me, the selling point is absolutely all about the graphic design: typewriter font printed over layers of fabric, images affixed with masking tape and pins... a scrapbook maker's heaven.  

Find out more about Sibella at: thesocietyinc.com.au 



All images from Nomad: A Global Approach to Interior Style by Sibella Court

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[ SIZZLING SUMMER SHADES ] Harper's Baazar Mexico May 2012

Feeling hot hot hot! Ohh so cheesy, I know, but hey, doesn't this almost blindingly colourful shoot from the May edition of Harper's Baazar Mexico make you wanna go play in the sun in ethnic inspired prints and tropical hues? No? Well there's something wrong with you. I'm sat in a cold drafty flat in Sydney (which by the way is currently doing its best to prove the 'everyday is a sunny day in Australia' myth that us Brits seem to believe so whole wholeheartedly), and it's making me want to pull on some colour drenched threads and go frolic. You can probably guess my favorite piece from the shoot...those fabulous Mexican inspired pants from one of my new top favorite ethnic inspired designers, Mara Hoffman. I wouldn't say no to that Erikson Beamon statement necklace (above) either. And yellow nails? Ohhhh yeh!

Arlenis Sosa by Kevin Sinclair for Harper's Baazar Mexico May 2012.

Images courtesy of Visual Optimism 

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