KAJ.047

This one-of-a-kind reversible kimono-style jacket brings together textile traditions from West Africa, Central America and the Indian subcontinent.

One side is crafted from vintage Asante Kente cloth from Ghana, combined with handwoven cotton created by the Salasaca people of Guatemala. Among Africa’s most celebrated textile traditions, Kente emerged within the royal courts of the Asante Kingdom, where its use was historically reserved for rulers, nobility and important ceremonial occasions. Woven in narrow strips and assembled into larger compositions, Kente combines extraordinary technical precision with a sophisticated visual language in which colours and patterns carry specific names, meanings and cultural associations.

More than a textile, Kente functions as a repository of history, philosophy and collective memory. Patterns carry individual names, as does each cloth in its entirety. Some are inherited through tradition, while others are said to have come to weavers through dreams or moments of contemplation, when inspiration is understood as a form of communion with the spiritual world. Through weaving, knowledge is transformed into pattern and cloth becomes a vehicle for cultural transmission.

The accompanying handwoven cotton of the Salasaca people reflects a weaving tradition deeply rooted in Indigenous Andean culture, where textile making remains an essential expression of identity, continuity and community.

The reverse side features vintage hand block-printed silk from Rajasthan. Created using carved wooden blocks and successive applications of dye, Rajasthan’s printing traditions are among the most enduring textile arts of India. The rhythmic repetition of pattern and the subtle irregularities of hand printing reveal the presence of the artisan within the cloth itself.

Together these materials bring into dialogue weaving and printing traditions that have evolved across continents, carrying within them generations of accumulated knowledge, technical mastery and cultural memory.

Keynote from Kārātoyaa:
• Please note, that due to antique nature of the fabrics there may be signs of past experiences - we believe it adds value and a meaning to the garments.
• Some naturally dyed fabrics even after lasting generations may leave colour
• Please keep in mind that all Karatoyaa pieces are Dry Clean only with the Professional service provider.