Inspired by the many treasures of Uzbekistan and its ancient place on the legendary Silk Road, British fashion designers Basso & Brooke have created a stunning collection of six contemporary ensembles. The capsule collection is the result of a multi-layered collaboration between fashion and textile partners in the UK and Uzbekistan, initiated and delivered by the British Council.

Last October Basso & Brooke undertook a ten-day residency in Uzbekistan, visiting Samarkand, Tashkent and Margilan in the Fergana valley, where they spent three days studying traditional ikat weaving at the Yodgorlik silk mill. Collaborating with Ruth Greany, from London-based Woven Studio, they designed custom ikats which were dyed in black, on various weights of white silk and woven at Yodgorlik mill.

The resulting fabrics were shipped to the UK and digitally printed with the same graphics used in Basso & Brooke’s Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, shown at London Fashion Week in February. One dress from this collection was replicated six times to display examples of the fabric and prints designed through this exciting collaboration. Basso & Brooke’s lasting impression of the Uzbek landscape has been interpreted in their graphic backdrops.

Bruno Basso and Chris Brooke formed their fashion label in 2002. The pair won the Fashion Fringe award in 2004 and the Elle Style Best New Designer award in 2006. Bruno was born in Brazil and trained in graphic art, and Chris was born in Nottingham and trained in fashion design. The designers are renowned for their pioneering use of digital printing in textiles.

If you are in London, visit the duo’s new collection inspired by this journey in the Design Museum Tank until late August. http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2010/basso-brooke

This exhibition traveled to Uzbekistan for the Arts Week in Tashkent, 9-14 October.

de la Pen story on Basso & Brooke

Download this file to find out more