Though Nagaland falls among India’s least populated states, it punches above its cultural and creative weight. The misty highlands and dense forests of the region, which borders Myanmar in the east, are home to some 17 Indigenous tribes and long-held textile-weaving traditions. Nagaland’s capital, Kohima, or its largest city, Dimapur—accessible by flights from New Delhi or Kolkata—are good gateways to the region and offer plentiful homestays and vibrant workshops that reimagine local materials into the likes of upcycled suiting and understated home furnishings.
In December, Nagaland’s annual Hornbill Festival may draw global travelers to celebrate its Indigenous histories, but the state’s centuries-old craft heritage—found everywhere from stylish boutiques to artist studios—gives plenty of reasons to linger longer. Designed and decorative
For textile arts, Heirloom Naga, founded in Dimapur, is a must-visit. The mainstay’s range has expanded over 30 years from a line of color-blocked linens and cushions to bags, display bowls, fans, and wall tapestries.
Visit its Heirloom Naga Centre to shop, stay at the property’s eight-room guesthouse—done up with signature throw blankets and pillows—or take a traditional loin-loom weaving or basketry workshop hosted by Heirloom. Grab a bite at the center’s restaurant, Heirloom Eatery. Modern mekhalas
For a clothing label whose name directly translates to “communities” in the Indigenous Ao Naga language, Dimapur-based Kintem’s focus is exactly that.
Founder Moala Longchar employs a network of intergenerational
Founder Moala Longchar employs a network of intergenerational weavers from local communities to create reinterpreted mekhalas, or draped dresses, and shawls using loin-loomed panels; many pieces are embellished with geometric motifs, tassels, and cowrie shells. Find casual sarong-style wrap skirts in shades of olive and sandy orange, or explore its bridal edit, which features züngijang, or “cucumber seed” embroidery, in gold as well as elevated mekhalas adorned with tiny bells.
Woven once, woven twice
If you’ve ever wondered if a Dior men’s button-down pairs well with a cinched handwoven corset, Otsü Clothing Co.’s answer is yes. Whether you’ve got your eyes on shirting lined with colorful hems, dresses of distressed patchwork, or pencil skirts that have loomed cotton pockets, there is no shortage of vibrantly upcycled and vintage creations reborn with Naga materials and techniques.
The Dimapur brand also hosts the pop-up series Otsüverse, a makers market spotlighting Northeast Indian cuisine, sound, and style. A bit of everything
Wild-grass tapestries and handbags made from banana fiber, bamboo vessels, and twill-woven basketry are a few of the many goods you may find at Runway Nagaland, a welcoming menagerie of colorful accessories and earth-toned home decor off Full Nagarjan Road in Dimapur’s Thilixu village.
Runway began as a jewelry label in 2011
Runway began as a jewelry label in 2011 after its founder, Nengneithem Hengna, left her corporate career. It’s only grown since, now offering workshops and fiber art training to students, locals, and curious travelers alike. Beaded beauties
Shells and semiprecious stones find life as statement necklaces and bangles at Hues of Hills, available at lifestyle boutique Vayu – Design for Living in New Delhi.
Especially memorable designs include its Naga choker, wherein each gem represents ornaments worn by a different native tribe, and its Naga orchid necklace, inspired by the nearly 400 species of the flowering plant found in the region. An earth-to-bead approach continues in the town of Wokha, roughly 46 miles north of the capital, with Zaben Murry Design, where Naga heritage reverberates via Lotha-tribe colorways and brass pendants in the shape of abstract Naga heads, a popular motif across the state.
New traditions
At Kohima-based design studio Woven Threads, organic cotton and natural dyes are threaded into items for the body and home. From indigo-dyed structural outerwear to patterned bed runners, blankets, and pillows, each loin-loom collection is made by Indigenous artisans across Nagaland who create from their home while continuing to practice essential seasonal farming, such as paddy cultivation, and are encouraged to mentor younger creatives to keep the state’s weaving process alive.
Source: www.cntraveler.com
