PS...PRESERVATION SILK TM scarves for all the sexes
Many thanks to the Tricia Kaman Gallery
I'm Leslie Edwards Humez, the sculptor. When I'm not creating in clay, I indulge in a longstanding hobby: collecting vintage silk saris from India.
A hobby quickly became a fascination; the exotic natural fiber and my ever-present hunger for color and pattern found unlimited opportunity importing silk. Somewhere along the line I learned that antique saris are casually being burned to reclaim the gold and silver content from their threads. Low incomes and the resultant destruction of historic fabrics encouraged me. I rescued my first sari and I was so taken by its beauty that my holdings quickly grew. The thought that I could help to support and honor Indian women and at the same time preserve cultural artifacts was irresistable. Silk is a yummy natural fiber like cotton, linen and wool. Silk is fundamental. It flows. It pampers. It cools or it warms us, and it breathes. Such magical polarities! Silk has the power to bring us into the moment and it becomes more beautiful with age. And there is only one word to describe the colors: mouthwatering. Some garments in my collection are many generations old. Each 5 yard length of sari fabric is a work of art, rich with the industry of the maker and imbued with the personality of the woman who wore it. Each is unique and heartbreakingly gorgeous in its singularity. Make no mistake: these garments are the real thing. Natural imperfections (slubbing) and pinholes are to be expected and an occasional repair -carefully hand-stitched by the original owner- may be found. In the beginning I discarded less than perfect fabric, but because these scars and weaving artifacts add charm, character and a touch of humanity, I've come to see them like the lines on a much-loved face. If you're full-figured and --like me-- appreciate a comfy, well-proportioned garment, look no further. The best part of PS...Preservation Silk Co. is that men and women of even the most traditional, Rubenesque body type will find the proportions both lavish and flattering: double-layered and wide enough to wrap and warm your shoulders: one generous scarf really does fit all. It's a happy accident that my sari obsession has outgrown my studio storage capacity because now I'm compelled to share these cultural icons with you. Each is repurposed into a very limited edition (usually 1or 2) of what I believe to be the most generous length in silk scarves on the market (70") at less than a third of the cost of mass-produced high-end department store silk scarves like Nordstrum's. When each edition is sold, they're gone forever. There can be no others quite like them. Two styles are currently available: the infinity scarf and the long flat sort. Because you requested a large square shawl, I'll be offering a few of them. I do custom work. Indulge yourself in the guiltless luxury of lush, Earth-conscious silk. You've earned it. |