To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia

With their brilliant designs, ikats are among the most distinct fabrics produced in Central Asia. The name, derived from the Malaysian word for “to tie,” refers to the distinct technique of making these textiles: bundles of threads are painstakingly patterned by repeated binding and dyeing before being woven. In present-day Uzbekistan and the Fergana Valley, the fabric is known as abri (cloud) and the technique as abrbandi (tying clouds), referring to the fluid yet bold motifs in bright colors.

Not surprisingly, ikats caught the attention of contemporary designers, most notably Oscar de la Renta (died 2014). In 2005, de la Renta included ikat designs in his collections, an innovation that was soon followed by other designers in the United States and elsewhere. Since then, ikat motifs have become ubiquitous—from couture gowns to jeans and T-shirts, and from carpets and sofa coverings to stationery and wall papers.

To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia brings together about thirty of the finest historical Central Asian ikat hangings and coats from the Freer|Sackler collections, donated by Guido Goldman, as well as several of Oscar de la Renta’s iconic creations. The aim is to explore the original use and function of these dazzling fabrics and the enduring appeal of their extraordinary designs.

Exhibition Highlights

Nothing signaled a person’s rank in Central Asia as conspicuously as a boldly patterned ikat coat. As valuable personal belongings, cherished ikat robes were handed down from one generation to the next and were eventually recycled into hangings, covers, or trims.

After you look at the dizzying designs of ikats for a while, you might begin to see familiar motifs—a comb, a jug, or a pendant here, a pomegranate or a flowering shrub there. These stylized and abstracted elements are transformed into repeated designs that dance across the surface of the fabrics. By modifying the color scheme or varying the scale of motifs, craftsmen introduced endless varieties of similar patterns with stunning visual results.

Inspired by the “unbelievably rich” colors of traditional ikats, Oscar de la Renta (1932–2014) was the first contemporary designer to introduce the distinct fabric into Western fashion. His creative responses to ikats include a classic trench coat that playfully appropriates Central Asian patterns. In contrast, the elegant fur-trimmed evening coat made from traditional ikat fabric is his contemporary interpretation of a Central Asian coat. De la Renta’s appreciation of ikat is perhaps best expressed in his evening gown from 2013. A masterful adaptation of both the outside and inside of a historic Uzbek robe, it integrates a characteristic ikat pattern and an exuberant floral design that refers to the linings found in so many Central Asian costumes.