For years, I collected small hand-carved wood blocks without knowing exactly what they were for.
Their intricate patterns fascinated me. Some still carried traces of old dyes in their crevices, evidence of a life and purpose long before they found their way into my collection.
I've always been drawn to dying arts. Perhaps it's because they remind us that beautiful things once required patience.
A woven rug, a naturally dyed textile, a hand-carved block.
Each carries the imprint of the person who made it. In a world increasingly shaped by speed and convenience, I find myself drawn to things that take time. Crafts that perfected over an entire lifetime.
My life has been filled with the exploration of traditional crafts. I learned to weave on large wooden looms, experimented with indigo dyeing, and sewed garments from hand-dyed fabrics. Each craft deepened my appreciation for the generations of makers who dedicated their lives to mastering a single skill. And each craft contributed to the experience I needed to start House of DOHO.
It wasn't until I stumbled across a video on traditional woodblock printing that I finally discovered the purpose of those mysterious carved blocks.
My first introduction to wood block dying came first from when I thought ukiyo-e picture was my next adventure. Ukiyo-e is the art of wood block prints. Think 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa.'
(You may have noticed by now that I have an affinity for Japanese culture.)
When Youtube auto-played the next video it exposed me to that an ancient craft of India, woodblock printing fabric. I was immediately intrigued by the intricately cut blocks that imprinted died flowers, fillagree, and animals on huge rolls of tightly stretched cotton.
The artisans move with practice eased perfectly lining up block placement after block placement. Set, Press, Peel. Repeat. Over and over again until the previously starch white cotton was awash with color.
I longed to learn more so I reached out to makers in India, where the craft had its very beginnings. I made friends who were willing to share what they knew and those people are the very makers who make our dresses today. While I still handmade the smaller items.
We took my all time favorite silhouette and paired it with five prints that I think encapsulate summers in the garden. This became our Gardener's Daughter collection.
I only hope that you love them as much as I do.
Love,
Zandria, DOHO founder
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