Jabberdust, from Urdu, meaning strong, exceptional, perhaps unnecessarily so, is an expression of craft and beauty that links my work from 1987 to the present. The handwork work in these photos is designed for Jabberdust and made by Sharifuddin Bashiruddin in Mumbai.

Hand embroidery exists in every culture. In the 1980s, French, German and British brands discovered hand embroidery skills in India that were honed over centuries. The Japanese and others soon followed. With a large labour pool and willing craftsmen (kharighars love their work) export of production in hand embroidered goods took off. This included custom red-carpet (brands like Armani, Valentino, Fendi, Lange) and ready-to-wear, luxury goods to t-shirts. The influence of both European and Indian culture is clear. Hand-embroiderers avoid the spotlight and rarely get credit they are due. Jabberdust counted Andrews, Brian Bailey, The Room, Tocca Finita  and other exceptional womenswear boutiques in Canada as clients. Custom fabrics and trims sold to David Dixon, Hoax Couture, RK stores, Pat Mcdonagh and many others.

Please inquire about the pieces seen here. They are available for study, rental and a few are for sale.

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