" On the Silk Routes..."
PRESSBOOK 2015
On the SIlk Routes…
CREATIONS BORN OF THE JOURNEYINGS OF TRAVELLERS, MATERIALS AND KNOWLEDGE… A dynamic of shared development generated by creation” Christine Delpal is an ethnologist, Marc Carbonare an economist. Both are photographers. They created Karawan Authentic as it was the natural outcome of 15 years of travel and encounters, and inspired by an aesthetic universe and an art of living peculiar to the East – a lifestyle imbued with a unique sensitivity towards materials and objects and an awareness of traditions and daily rituals respectful of mankind and the environment. Karawan-Authentic takes them a step further in their partnership with the countries they have visited. In the tradition of ancient journeys on the Silk Routes, they exchange rare and precious goods, as well as sharing experience and know-how. They have created a universe inherited from Eastern beauty and hospitality rituals, a universe that reflects the stages of a journey revisited by design. Their creations emphasise
THE DESIGN OF OUR PRODUCTS is based on an understanding of local
needs and resources which are of cultural, aesthetic and economic interest, but made vulnerable by industrialisation in a globalised economy. Sustainable development involves a pooling of both material and immaterial goods. Sharing knowledge and enhancing a region’s heritage are necessary foundations for the development of local economies. Our involvement is not a quest to reproduce old-fashioned craſt items that have become archetypes of their culture. We work closely with our partners to generate a dynamic of creative and sustainable production. Karawan products are the result of a marriage between the demands of innovation, modern design, and natural materials, allied to the traditional knowledge and exceptional skills of local craſtspeople. Our products bear witness to a timeless aesthetic of quality and durability, with a thoroughly contemporary feel, but making no concessions to the whims of fashion.
natural materials and noble textures shaped by the hand of man and woman. It is a world of inspiration, where well-being is experienced through natural resources and sharing. The collections are designed with particular attention to natural ingredients and noble textures, fashioned by craſtsmen and women respectful of authentic details. They are the fruit of an alliance between eco-design and local skills – born from the journeys of ideas, materials and intrepid travellers. A product of lasting relationships with a network of craftspeople in Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Vietnam, India and Nepal – people whose expertise has grown out of a history and a culture now threatened by global industrialization. This cross-fertilisation of ideas, concepts and techniques has given rise to a range of objects imbued with sustainable values, the values of a lifestyle where beauty is an integral part of well-being and sharing. The exchanges arising translate into crossbred objects bearer of strong, sustainable values, those of a lifestyle where beauty is related to well-being and sharing.
3 creatives universe WELL-BEING & THE BATHS Men and women alike apply the beneficial properties of nature to their body care routines. The exquisite compounds used for pampering oneself or that are given as presents to others turn the traditional refinement of the baths into a lifestyle. Karawan has delved into the wisdom of the lands of the ancient Silk Routes to find the ingredients and traditions of Ayurvedic medicine and the Oriental steam bath in order to develop a range of cosmetics made in France. Our recipes are composed of a concentrated fullness of natural, active essential ingredients of proven efficacy: noble oils, salts, clays, vegetable extracts, essential oils. Accessories to enhance and refine your bath, exfoliation, and those massagings that do so much for your well-being and your vitality.
BEAUTY ACCESSORIES Our accessories for the body and the hair are the perfect finishing touch to your beauty routines. These handmade artefacts bring all the sensory pleasure of a re-invented tradition into your daily life: scarves, horn combs, rosewood mirrors, pouches, slippers, silk or cashmere stoles… They are made of the finest materials and fashioned to last by craftsmen and craftswomen in a timeless contemporary style that defies the whims of fashion.
JEWELERY AND FINES STONES Christine DELPAL designed the collection YAMUNA in reference to malas, these Tibetan prayer bracelets, shelled by Buddhists. The rosary chains are shaped by hand by jewelers of Jaipur. It revisits the tradition of sprinkling the faceted gemstones and silver or gold beads hit Indian motifs. An essential luxury for daily life. YAMUNA is the name of a tributary of the Ganges rives. It borders the Taj Mahal. An eternal inspiration, an evanescent fervor that mixes invisible to the materiality of beauty.
Every product has a history… each one is a soothing journey for the soul and the senses.
2015 PROFESSIONAL FAIRS
- Maison & Objet PARIS Parc des expositions - September - Natexpo PARIS Parc des expositions - October
2004-2005 First stop Aleppo
with the development of a collection of authentic soaps made from olive oil and laurel oil.
2006-2007 Development of a collection of exclusive Aleppo soaps made with essential oils, in partnership with a perfumery in Grasse. Expansion of the range of Hammam accessories. 2008, Karawan Authentic
coordinates and supervises young designers-in-residence at a craſtswomen’s cooperative in Rabat, Morocco. A line of necklaces and crocheted and embroidered bath accessories is developed.
2009 The secrets of eastern beauty
are incorporated into a complete, organic, care treatment – an initiation into the rituals of the hammam. The journey pushes on to the Far East, to Vietnam, where small-scale producers of silk and buffalo horn carvers become partners in the production of a collection of hair ornaments.
2010 Meeting Hanifa in Anatolia sees the launch of a first collection of Oya textile jewelery. A remarkable, age-old skill in lace-making by hand was reinvigorated in 2011 by Karawan with the launch of a new collection of beautifully coloured necklaces. In less than a year, this initiative helped transform a female domestic activity into a professional activity for 30 villagers. Karawan Authentic helped create the structure, which in addition to providing a regular income, has ensured the transmission of a traditional knowledge.
2011-2012 Hand-stitched leather Ottoman slippers, felted wool, brocade, raw silk, cashmere and woven nettle from the highlands of Nepal, inspire a refined, authentic collection of bags, pouches and fashion accessories. 2013 Development and consolidation of nettle, hemp and silk weaving networks in northern India, in partnership with the State of Uttarakhand, for the promotion of vegetable fibres. Design of a range of handmade jewelery in brass, silver and semi-precious stones, working with a network of craſtsmen and women in Jaipur.
CEO Marc Carbonare carbonare@karawan.fr DESIGNER & PRESS CONTACT Christine Delpal delpal@karawan.fr PRESS OFFICE : Sophie Macheteau sophie@mybeautifulrp.com My Beautiful RP – Mode émergente 22 Sente du Nord - 92410 Ville d’Avray - France Tél.: 01 74 62 22 25 - www. mybeautifulrp.com DISTRIBUTION : • 300 MULTIBRAND STORES IN FRANCE + Nature & Découvertes, Botanic, Altermundi, Biocoop. • 1 owned store in Lyon
EXPORT TOWARD 20 PAYS : 40 % OF TURNOVER BROWSE OUR ONLINE CATALOGUES TO DISCOVER THE 3 CREATIVES WORLDS OF KARAWAN-AUTHENTIC
2014 Karawan develops a range
of vases and lanterns recycled glass blown in Firozabad. Irregularity gives each piece the charm of expertise exception.
www.karawan.fr
HEAD OFFICE 28, montée des Carmélites 69001 Lyon – FRANCE Tél. : 04 72 00 09 54
THE SHOP “FLAGSHIP“ Karawan, la Boutique 23, rue Auguste Comte 69002 Lyon – FRANCE