As a new decade begins, we take a look back at the developments of Marina Vaptzarova and the person behind the brand herself, Marina Shrestha. From handmade paper products to jewellery designed with a story, her incomparable skills and exquisite …
Time & Dedication in Handmade Luxury Products
Unravelling the Tsarang-Hmong Purse – behind the scenes on the time taken to make a handmade luxury purse. To appreciate a handmade product one must understand the time and dedicated skills and experience poured into its making. Often, a product …
Natural Wall Art & Home Deco
Nature plays an important role in our lives; now more than ever. As our surroundings become more urbanised natural home deco becomes more important. It helps us stay connected to nature; creates the calming space we work so hard for, …
What does Sustainable & Ethical buying mean & Why you should
In this blog post I raise questions on the way consumers are shopping in order to reflect and make sustainable buying choices. Sustainable buying is a broad term and there are many factors to consider, but when profitability takes the …
Dolpo Travel Series | Part 4: The Return
This is part 4 of a series about my travels to Dolpo. Read Part 1: Planning the Journey, Part 2: The Road to Dolpo & Part 3: ? Dolpo – Jajarkot – Kathmandu Our days in Dolpo had to come …
Dolpo Travel Series | Part 3: Purification Ceremony in Dolpo
This is part 3 of a series about my travels to Dolpo. Read Part 1: Planning the Journey & Part 2: The Road to Dolpo. After several days adventurously trekking across high mountain passes and deep valleys with the yak caravan, …
Dolpo Travel Series | Part 2: The Road to Dolpo
This is part 2 of a travel series about my travels to Dolpo. Read Part 1: Planning the Journey. After an impeding weeklong stay in Jumla – a small town in Western Nepal – Nyima, my local guide, Tsering, my …
Dolpo Travel Series | Part 1: Planning The Journey
My travel series in Northern Nepal continues; I recently shared my inspiration from Tibet, Tibetan culture, architecture and traditions. After settling in Nepal in 1980 my curiosity strengthened; Nepal’s northern areas of high altitude, remoteness and strong Tibetan influence became …
Tibetan Culture Inspiration
Over the years I have developed strong links with people, traditions and culture of Tibet. As we recently entered the Tibetan New Year, I re-visit all of what inspired me from the Tibetan culture. The link between what inspired me …
Storytelling Through Design
Designs that tell a story, connect and link us to the past of a local culture or place. Objects, through their design, come alive by means of storytelling…
Tihar, The Festival of Lights
The second most popular festival in Nepal, after the 15-day Dashain festival is Tihar, or Diwali, commonly known as the Festival of Lights which occurs during the month of Kartik, according to the Nepalese Calendar (this year celebrated from 5th – …
Sustainable Interior Bringing Us Back To Nature
Do you also sometimes get lost in the chaos of city life, jobs, social engagements that you forget to take a step back and go to a place where we feel most at ease, in nature? Finding the time to …
The Handmade Connection
When something ‘handmade’ is presented to me, I am automatically trying to imagine the person doing it, the place of work, the type of scene, the landscape. It is this connection that we get through sustainable handmade designs that is something special and unique.
Design Inspiration from the Golden Triangle
Hmong tribe family dressed in their traditional batik clothing and jewellery. Photo Credit: Heini Schneebeli The Hmong tribe is one of many ethnic groups in the Golden Triangle; the region where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet at the …
The Himalayan Giant Nettle And Remarkable ‘Allo’ Weave
In a time where contrasts and disparities are the new aesthetic, nettle weave has the potential to be part of what is called sustainable luxury. The contrast of a beautifully designed nettle weave product against a modern background creates a juxtaposition bringing out nature, character and nostalgic emotion from another time or place into your now.