‘You & I’ by Nada Debs for FBMI
Last July, I was approached by Fatima Bint Mohamed Initiative management (FBMI) to create a contemporary collection completing their current traditional carpet offer. Part of its ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of carpet making, FBMI commissioned internationally renowned designer Nada Debs to create a series titled “YOU & I”.
'apparently two, but one in soul' - Jalal al-Din Rumi
“Nada Debs’s essence resonates with that of FBMI”, states Maywand Jabarkhyl executive director of FBMI, “her interest in producing and working closely with artisans and authentic craftsmen made it an obvious choice for us to involve her”.
Nada has visited the Kabul production site on several occasions where she met with the female weavers and was inspired by their passion and the quality of their work.
“It is impossible for me to design in vacuum. I draw much of my inspiration from sitting with the craftsman, feeling the material and feeding off the energy emanating from the process,”- said Nada.
The series strikes a balance between the old and the new, a bridge between cultures through design, a celebration of local know-how in harmony with global trends and a sacred communion in which the skilled women weave, their hands transferring heart and soul into matter.
The YOU & I rug is a perfect expression of the coming together between a traditional carpet pattern design - applied in different color palettes - and contemporary designs in its a-typical shape; it commands a natural seating arrangement around it. Its overlapped parts fuse together, creating distinctive characteristic configurations made of varying depth where the plain color makes way revealing the traditional designs.
“Much of my work is based on a careful balancing of diversity - with this collection I tried to contrast the traditional design by mixing it with a more modern approach, bringing out each ones’ intricacies. Creating a product embodying a cultural ideal where the boundary of its design identity is both clear and blurred. ”
The trained artisans have implemented the vision of Nada Debs with care and detail, through the use of the natural vegetable dye and local wool, which is handspun to add to the quality of the carpets. This process collectively with original designs by Nada have created a unique series that is sustainable and contemporary at the same time. “When it comes to the production process there is no acceptable shortcut to bypass local craftsmen, traditional crafting technique and original ingredients,” adds Nada.
The artistic impression and the design process of the YOU & I series is a story that brings to life the journey of FBMI and presents the future of carpet design. The Collection made its debut at Abu Dhabi Art and Dubai Design Week in November 2017.
