Creating Calm

For our autumn shoot we went in search of serenity, seeking out a place that would evoke a true sense of calm. We travelled to Suffolk and discovered a quiet harmony between the walls of an historic farmer’s house dating back to the 13th century.

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The quiet atmosphere surrounding it spoke to us about the importance of ‘switching off’; and of disconnecting from the fast pace of our modern world. Inside, hand thrown ceramics filled the shelves alongside books from a bygone era; illustrated journals on wildflowers and garden herbs were plentiful. We found outbuildings filled with discarded pottery and unfinished woodworks, mid-Century furniture waiting for restoration and dusty antiques from days long before off-the-peg fashion and fast-paced lives were the norm.

A resurgence in the importance of craft has been spreading its way across the nation of late, perhaps as a revolt against the information-driven digital world many now live in. Whether it is sculpture, ceramics, crochet, hand-dyeing, upcycling, knitting, weaving, painting, creative cookery or ecological gardening – workshops and classes are springing up everywhere with blogs, books and documentaries responding to a healthy renaissance of hand workmanship.

“It is said that people are at their happiest when they are working on something about which they are passionate”

There is a creative in the heart of each one of us and at Sahara we celebrate acknowledgement of our individuality. We are passionate about travel and celebrate the beauty of handcrafted artisan textiles from the remote corners of the world. Valuing time and tradition to keep both alive, we incorporate these special techniques into our collections wherever we can.

We hope that this autumn, you can find time to discover a new craft of your own.