What's in a name?

The name House of Wandering Silk grew from journeys - both literal and metaphorical.

It was shaped by a transformative solo Silk Road expedition and a curious fortune teller’s remark, blending inspiration and intention. Each word reflects the values and philosophy that guide the brand today, while evoking the storied paths of the textiles we craft, passing from hand to hand throughout their life of creation and use.

In 2007, a solo trip along the ancient Silk Road, from Islamabad through Hunza and across Xinjiang and Tibet to Shanghai, gave shape and clarity to a long-held dream of building a textile-focused fair trade business. The vastness of the land, the open road, and the freedom of those months gave my mind space to wander, to stretch, and to imagine possibilities.

In that rhythm of travel, I found clarity to connect experience with aspiration (read more on The Long Road Here): to see how craft, culture, and commerce could intersect thoughtfully. By the end of the journey, the inspiration had crystallized and this modern Silk Road journey was a formative turning point.

Over the following two years, that vision gradually transformed into concrete plans that would eventually lead to the creation of House of Wandering Silk.

Traveling alone with nothing but a backpack and a sense of curiosity is a sure-fire way to expand the mind and open yourself up to new ideas. An overland journey across Tibet did that for me.

Around this same time, my aunt in the Czech Republic visited a fortune teller and was told, rather randomly, that her niece - me - had the “feet of a wandering calf,” a colourful image that lingered as I explored possible names for my future enterprise. I'm not sure about the calf bit, but the wandering was spot on.

By 2010, when I settled in Delhi with a concrete plan to build a company, I wanted a name that carried meaning, reflected the values of the brand, and felt unique and storied. Two key influences - the Silk Road and my own personal wanderings - lay at the heart of the endeavour and strongly shaped the choice of name.

The result combines three ideas:

House - a nod to the classic fashion house, but more deeply connected to the literal homes of our artisan partners across rural India, where they craft our textiles.

Wandering - honouring the literal and symbolic journeys of the textiles we work with: across time, space, and hands. Techniques and motifs passed down through generations, the skills and knowledge intrinsic to their creation adding value across villages and districts, and their use and enjoyment around the world. It also references my own personal journey across continents that led me to this moment.

Silk – one of the many natural fibres we work with, representing the ultimate in luxury. It also lightly references the historic Silk Road, where textiles carried culture, skill, and story across continents.

Each word captures an aspect of our philosophy: heritage, care, journey, and connection. Together, they form a name that embodies the spirit and guiding principles of House of Wandering Silk.

From the Silk Road to the symbols we use today, every element tells a story. Explore the meaning behind our mudra-inspired hand logo here.

Explore House of Wandering Silk