This Uzbek ‘chapan’ that I bought in the domed bazaar of Bukhara in 1999 was my first foray into the wonderful ikats and printed cottons of Central Asia. I was riding the Silk Road on horse and camel - an expedition that took nine months, covering 5,000 miles of desert and mountains - and we stopped for a couple of days in this ancient oasis. I had contracted amoebic dysentery the day before and felt horrendous but it didn’t stop me shopping and ever since I have collected and used these textiles in my home. It is a similar nineteenth century printed cotton that inspired my chair design for @loveyourhomeuk 🧡 ♥️