Anaak x Naveli Choyal at Bagru

“With a background in painting and printed textiles, India’s block prints have always drawn me in. When I started traveling to India over 20 years ago, I would travel to ruins and historical sites with my sketchbook and gouache paints to sit, study and paint traditional Mughal motifs on tiles and walls. I consider myself more of an observer and amateaur cultural textiles historian. I love the history and cultural relevance of textiles. These all sound like “words” in today’s awoken world, but before “ethical fashion, artisan made, fashion revolution, etc”, the meaning and beauty of textiles have always been what drove me to travel and investigate.” — Marissa Maximo, Founder of Anaak

Anaak worked alongside the local block printers, selecting patterns from their own creations, encouraging their own traditional hand, instead of creating patterns from a Western point of view.

“Bagru holds a special place for me with its craft and simplicity. The knowledge that the artisans have in the village is age-old. Through the years, each family has made a contribution to keeping the craft of block printing alive. With the support of like-minded people, block printing – once a dying art, has been made able to reach a wider audience, which has made it a thriving craft for the country. Bagru now also has its Geographical Indication Tag, which allows this specific block printing technique to be unique and accessible.” — Naveli Choyal