Flipping through Instagram, I came across a pic from wolven|threads of two exotic beauties in super cute outfits stretched out into languid yoga poses. Who are these girls and where did they get these killer yoga clothes? After perusing the wolven|threads site I ordered Carolina and I a few outfits from the owner. We bee-lined it to a friend’s trampoline and discovered striking poses in mid-air is fun but much harder than it looks! We mixed and matched the tops and bottoms with other pieces and came up with some great looks. I sat down with the owner, Kiran Jade to get to know her a little better. I love hearing about people’s creative process and what inspires them to come up with something that is completely different from anything else out there. Deeply inspired by her cultural roots and only 23 years old, she is an impressive fusion of yogi, artist and designer. Learn more about her below and see more pics from the shoot.
Do you practice yoga? If yes, for how long and where do you typically practice?
Yes! I am 200-hour RYT certified through YogaWorks and have been practicing Yoga for about eight years. I also received my Yoga Peace Ambassador Certification from the Sivananda Yoga and Vedanta Center in the Bahamas. I live in Pasadena and am a member at YogaWorks Pasadena. My favorite class is Ashley Rideaux’s level 2-3 Candle Flow– I love the intensity of the class paired with the relaxing, candle-lit atmosphere and Ashley’s wonderful playlists! When I visit my family in DC, I practice at Simon Says Yoga where my good friend Alexia Mills teaches. Currently in my yoga practice I am working on improving my arm balances–specifically eka pada koundinyasana!
Do you have a fashion design and/or art background?
I absolutely fell in love with oil painting when I was about 5-years-old: I used to run around the house covered head-to-toe in paint! When I was about 14, I started showing my work in DC with the encouragement and guidance of my mentor Yolanda Prinsloo, a South African surrealist painter. Growing up my family visited Pakistan often, which allowed me to have access to marketplaces full of beautiful fabrics. As a kid, I would pick out fabrics and have matching Salwar Kameezes stitched for my mom, myself, and my favorite stuffed animal– I was enchanted by the idea of having customization and personalization within my wardrobe! As I got older I learned how to Batik dye fabric with bee’s wax and how to follow and make my own paper patterns. I took sewing and crocheting classes and began to experiment with making my own garments. In college I studied Fine Art at Art Center College of Design where I was able to take an eclectic mix of painting studios and textile and fashion design classes.
What made you want to start a clothing line?
My parents are from India and Pakistan, and I have always been fascinated with the hand’s on approach to dealing with fabric that occurs in the East. Fabrics are hand dyed, threads are hand embroidered, and mirrors, beads and sequence are added individually. I deeply value the idea of fabric being a customizable creative canvas that is and treated with care and respect. A lot of Yoga and athletic wear brands out there stick to minimal colors and use unsustainable materials. I see Yoga as a meditative practice, and in wearing clothes that are handmade with organic and sustainable materials, I hope our customers can feel more comfortable in their yoga practices. In terms of the visual aesthetic of wolven|threads, I wanted to create patterned fabrics influenced by Eastern culture and colors to pay homage to the birthplace of Yoga.
wolven|threads is truly unique and unlike any sportswear line out there. What was your inspiration for your designs?
My designs are inspired by the idea of finding harmony within opposition– East vs West, Islam vs Hinduism, handmade vs digital. My mom is from Karachi, and I have visited a number of Mosques with her and have always been fascinated by the shapes found in 13th and 14th century Islamic architecture and tiles. My father is from India, and I have always been drawn to the colors and geometric designs found in Hindu and Buddhist mandalas. Our home is decorated in a way that embraces these two different cultures and religions, and I strive to create designs that similarly marry my various influences. The symbol of the mandala is meant to represent balance and harmony, an idea that I wanted to represent with our logo of the two wolves.
Talk a little bit about your creative process. What inspires you? When do ideas come to you? How do you bring them to life?
My creative process always begins with a handmade object, usually a drawing or painting. Painting is a way for me to take external influences and react to them in an intuitive and emotional way. My paintings are my first, unadulterated reaction to the world in which we live. Once I have completed a painting or drawing and feel it is a potential foundation for a textile design, I find a way to analyze the more formal shapes and colors within the painting and add in digital effects. At this point, I am no longer thinking about the painting as a stagnant object, but as a pattern that will drape a body. More than anything else though, my biggest inspiration is the yogis who wear our clothes! I love watching the creative ways our customers combine wolven|threads’ garments and make them part of their own unique style and language of self expression.
wolven|threads is hand made in USA, organic, and sustainable.
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Photos by Kelly Howe
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