The Mingei Cotton Collection
Utilitarian. Analogue. Natural.
Mingei is timeless; it eschews ornamentation & ostentation, and embraces a functional practicality & universal beauty.
Deeply inspired by Japanese aesthetics & rooted in India's village-based textile traditions - this collection celebrates centuries of heritage shared by these two remarkable lands, as well as the more personal experience of HOWS founder, Katherine, who has spent almost half her life living in Japan & India.
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Mingei showcases the best of both: textured hand spun & woven cotton, the depth of indigo & local natural dyes, the imperfection of kantha & sashiko hand embroidery, the complexity of kasuri double ikat, and the richness of jamdani.
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These humble folk textiles have found a home in our range of effortless & timeless wardrobe staples: inspired by folk-wear from around the world & designed for freedom of movement & maximum comfort.
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Mingei is named after Japan's Mingei (art of the people) Movement of the early 1900s which identified beauty in the honest simplicity & utilitarianism of folk crafts created by anonymous, village craftspeople. The movement was an antidote to unchecked industrialisation and a means of cultural preservation.
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Spun & woven in West Bengal, Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh. Stitched by brothers Parvez & Lal in Delhi.
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