Knowing where to look can help immensely when trying to make a nascent idea come to life. For Catherine Hall Kirpalani of J. Catma, that assistance was close at hand—namely her husband, Bob Kirpalani, and her sister-in-law Reshma Kirpalani. “Bob would bring me the most exquisite gifts from India, and I was taken with the luxurious textiles, jewelry, and other ancient artisan works,” says Catherine. Then she visited India herself and experienced the wonders of the Silk Road firsthand.
Her first foray was scarves; now there’s jewelry, napkins, throws, shawls, and more. Her excursions have yielded treasures like embroidered shawls and block-printed fabric, which she fashioned into pajamas.
“I’ve also learned where the birthplace of a craft is, and we now only source from there—Chikankari embroidery from Lucknow and pashmina textiles from Kashmir, for example.” — Catherine Hall Kirpalani, J. Catma
Limited editions and one-of-a-kind pieces are showcased at trunk shows and charity event pop-up shops as well as retail outlets such as the Grand Bohemian Hotel gift galleries. There’s little risk the collections will ever feel stale. “I could go a million times and still find something exciting and wonderful,” says Catherine. jcatma.com
Photographed by Laurey W. Glenn