Suzani Embroidered Shopper Bag-Green [Uzbekistan]

• Unique 1 of a kind item
• Vintage embroidery in very good condition
• New bag construction
• Zipped opening of bag
• Fuchsia fabric inner lining
• Small zipped inner phone pocket
• Great for beach, pool or shopping
• Suited to sunny weather (may have dye run in heavy rain)
• Made by Fatima in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
• Width- 50cm
• Height- 50cm
• Handle length- 24cm
• Weight- 0.4kgs

THE STORY
A suzani is a large, hand-embroidered textile panel; the word comes from the Persian word suzan, which means needle. Originating from nomadic tribes in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries, suzanis have become highly collectable. They were traditionally made by brides and their mothers as part of a dowry. They represented the binding together of two families, and were adorned with symbols of luck, health, long life and fertility.
Suzanis are made from cotton, sometimes silk. The pattern is first drawn onto the cotton, before being embroidered on narrow portable looms. They are usually produced in two or more pieces, meaning that they can be worked on by more than one person, before being stitched together.
The last person to stich this bag was Fatima in her bustling tailors shop in Samarkand.  A hive of women, children, babies and grannies, her store & workroom buzzes with life whilst producing the most inspiring modern Uzbek fashions. It's always great to see women rocking their business like the bosses they are!

CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Never wash a vintage textile like this. Basically traditional textiles weren't made to be washed. Already there is some visible bleeding of the hot pink thread. Contact your nearest Oriental carpet store and inquire about their specialised cleaning. 
Read the V&A Museum's expert advice here

We'd love to hear from you if you have any questions.
*We do our very best to make sure colours are as close to real life as possible. Your computer may not. Silly machines.