At Shaku, we have learned that creativity and inspiration go hand in hand when it comes to artistry.
Whether it is a painting in a gallery or a field of wildflowers, it is about the lens through which you view the world around you. Inspiration and the process of creation is a balance between serendipity and a dedication to the craft. This is true in Shaku’s embroidered cushions, which are pieces of art in themselves. Shakera, the Founder and Creative Director of Shaku, shares her inspiration and the craftsmanship behind our luxurious Meadow cushion collection.
It’s in the Details: The Collection
A year-long labour of passion, love and craftsmanship, Shakera brought together artisans from Italy to London, sourcing beautiful textiles and exceptional talent in order to bring her vision to life.
The Inspiration
The inspiration of the Meadow Cushion is taken from Shakera’s garden in her previous English countryside home where she lived for 9 years while raising her children. Teeming with flora and fauna, the garden was home to countless treasured memories of her family.
Now living in London, Shakera designed the Meadow cushion as a reminiscent token of the garden. Notebook in hand, Shakera began with a simple sketch; slowly revealing a faint outline of poppies, butterfly blue flowers, vetches, catmint and fern. Then, with an ink pen she incorporates dimension, shape and movement with strong, feathered lines. Poppies take centre stage in the resulting motif surrounded by a medley of whimsical flowers and foliage.
The Materials
To begin the journey from paper to product, Shakera choose linen as the canvas for her design. Loomed from the finest flax, the linen was sourced from our trusted manufacturers in Como, Italy. The collection follows a strong monochromatic palette with two variants: crisp white and jet black.
Guided by long held skills in embroidery passed down from her family, the ever so delicate stem stitch using soft cotton threads was Shakera’s choice to ensure every intricate detail was perfectly captured. To balance light fabric and delicate embroidery, elegant black and white silk cord piping and mother of pearl buttons were hand-picked to add richness and decadence to the final piece.
The Artisans
Every artisan Shakera partnered with for this luxury homewares collection was carefully selected, as to uphold Shaku’s standard of quality. It is the process of sourcing exemplary artisans that consumed much of the time to develop the final piece. With many trials and samples, Shakera found an independent Italian artisan who beautifully brought drawing to life on linen. From her home in Como, the artisan flawlessly hand-embroidered each cushion. An exceptional seamstress in London was tasked with stitching each element of the cushions together.
The Final Piece
Every stitch and seam for Shaku’s embroidered cushion collection has been thought out and created with the utmost care. The outpouring of Shakera’s creativity and an example of her expertise, this very exclusive collection is available in a limited quantity, and is another way to exhibit art in your home.
