OREJEN COLLECTION In partnership with Black Artists + Designers Guild
OREJEN BY BLACK ARTISTS + DESIGNERS GUILD
“THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPACTFUL DISPERSIONS IN OUR HISTORY, BEATS AT THE CENTER OF MODERNITY AND RESIDES AT THE HEART OF THE OREJEN COLLECTION.” — Rayman Boozer As the oft-cited Maya Angelou famously said, “If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.” Amplifying this sentiment and all conversations surrounding ancestral roots and inspired beginnings are the talented collaborators representing The Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG). Their debut textile collection for S. Harris exhibits five artisan-minded (and distinctly accomplished) interior designers who bonded together, alongside Creative Director Jodi Finer, to rewrite a textural narrative for a collection centered around history and heritage—Discover Orejen. Evoking the phonetic pronunciation, Orejen tells a well-woven story of genuine craft, care and beauty by way of the nomadic artists that first forged them in the only way they knew how—through didactic experience and cultural technique. Paying homage to these early innovators are BADG members: Malene Barnett, Rayman Boozer, Linda Hayslett, Erin Shakoor, and Beth Diana Smith, who looked to East Africa, South-East Asia and the Pacific Islands as their muse. Locales that are deeply revered for their textile traditions, commitment to craft, magnetism through color, and material prowess. Orejen is anchored by three cultural artisan forms intrinsic to these regions: braiding, woodworking and beading.
#responsibleinspiration
While carefully and thoughtfully threading their own artistic identity into the storied 77-SKU textile collection, each BADG designer made a concerted effort to bring responsible inspiration to the forefront of the creative process, leading with transparency and giving long-overdue credence to the works of Black artists, Indigenous makers, and creatives of color alike. The result is a collection that respectfully breathes life into Indigenous legacies while igniting a First-World origin story of its own. “Part of the goal of the Orejen line is to expand upon people’s basic understandings and highlight the roots and trajectories of different cultures,” explains designer and Guild member Rayman Boozer. “At BADG and as a creative community, we are inspired by people, places and things from around the world. This collection represents a new foundation in storytelling through colors, textures, and materials, by attributing the multiplicity of inspirations to all of its sources,” explains BADG Founder Malene Barnett. Forgoing the jetlag, Orejen recounts a transportive, tactile journey through the peaks and valleys of Bhutan, the equatorial shores of Zanzibar and the far reaches of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea—each region ripe with artistry and inherently rich in originality.
#whatsyourorejen
4
THAMA (2.25” tape)
14101W NYOTA
TINGA TINGA
BRONZE
MICA
LIMESTONE
MENTHA (5” tape) ZINC
3 Colorways
1 Colorway
3 Colorways
1 Colorway
TIGER NEST
MAJANI (2.75” tape)
14106W MANTRA
14105W KŌKŌURI
HIMALAYAN
BRASS
GILT
GOLD
3 Colorways
2 Colorways
3 Colorways
2 Colorways
PEMBA COAST
UTU
HAKARI (3.5” TAPE) BONE
NYOTA MICA
2 Colorways
1 Colorway
IVORY SLATE
BUFF
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
5
6
14102W MOKO JEWEL
TIGER NEST CLAY
PATU (2.5” tape) FLAME
CHATAI FLAME
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
2 Colorways
BHAVANA TAPE (5” tape) CORAL REEF
BAHARI
BILUM
14106W MANTRA
3 Colorways
COAST
EARTH BERRY
HIBISCUS
4 Colorways
1 Colorway
3 Colorways
PEMBA COAST
SUKA (3/8”) GOJI
BHAVANA PERSIMMON
MOKO JEWEL
4 Colorways
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
JEWEL 3 Colorways
7
8
CHATAI LAKE
BHAVANA TAPE (5” tape) COBALT
1 Colorway
2 Colorways
3 Colorways
MOA
14102W MOKO LAPIS
PEMBA COAST
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
BHAVANA COBALT
KOKODA TRAIL
BAHARI
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
WHITIKI (2.25” tape) LAPIS BARK 2 Colorways
4 Colorways
14104W HINGTHAM CLAY
PEACOCK
BASIL
9
MAJI PEACOCK 4 Colorways
PEMBE TATU (4” tape) COBALT 3 Colorways
SHORE
10
UNGUJA
14103W UKILI
MOA
WIMBI (2.5” tape)
CORAL REEF
SPICE
TURMERIC
BRONZE
1 Colorway
1 Colorway
3 Colorways
1 Colorway
14102W MOKO NANUA
PATU (2.5” tape) BARK
BHAVANA DESERT
BAHARI
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
3 Colorways
4 Colorways
MOA
MAJI
FERNROOT
TAMARIND
PETAL
TAMARIND
3 Colorways
4 Colorways
2 Colorways
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HARVEST
PELE L A ZOW 4 Colorways
STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBLE INSPIRATION As a leader in the textile industry for more than a century, S. Harris encourages our design friends and colleagues to join us in this profound moment to grow and lead a holistic and inclusive industry. At S. Harris we believe design is a continuum of the past, an informant for the present and a window into the future. To that point, our textile house would like to build continued commitment to supporting and uplifting the work of Black designers, Indigenous makers and creatives of color. It’s imperative to our creative process to recognize the contributions of artists and creatives from a wide array of diverse backgrounds—honoring those who are essential to innovation. A crucial component to the work we create at S.Harris, has always been to celebrate and support cross-cultural collaboration in order for ingenuity to flourish in its purest form. A continued diligence is key to ensuring that visibility is brought forth and original work is acknowledged. We plan to revisit this statement of responsible inspiration, to assess our progress and hold ourselves accountable in achieving these goals. We invite you to join us on this journey.
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