Talk us through what ANEAU is all about.ANEAU is a celebration
of connection to people, stories, fabrics and heritage. I try to uphold
a sense of integrity in everything I do. It’s also about a slow design
process – I spend a lot of time in development, perfecting things.
Every detail is considered, from a colour, to the canvas and brass
belts that wrap around the quilts, and the cotton pillowcases
they’re sold in.
Why quilts? I’ve worked in fashion for years, and making collection
after collection can become quite relentless. You’re forever chasing
yourself. I yearned to make something that would be long-lasting,
a product to cherish, and could become a family heirloom. While
living in New York a few years ago, I returned to Australia for an
extended holiday and spent a lot of time with my Grandma Joan.
She was nuts about textiles and patterns. We’d sit in her little
apartment cutting fabrics and making quilts; I made my first quilt,
Swan Song, with her. It was such a special time and a memory
I’ll always hold close. This was the seed for ANEAU.
What’s your connection to India? I first fell in love with India when
I travelled there at 18. It’s full of wonder in the best and worst ways
- a place of incredible beauty, and also severe poverty. Having grown
up in a creative family, I loved all the textiles – the country is home
to incredible artisanal skills and practices. When the idea for ANEAU
was born, I started researching. I came across the organisation
Purkal Stree Shakti and the stars aligned. It all happened very
organically from there; now, India is my second home.
Can you tell us about the people who make your quilts?Designed
by me in Sydney, the quilts are then made by Purkal Stree Shakti
- a not-for-profit based in the foothills of the Himalayas, set up by
Chinni Swamy to empower women and help them reach their full
potential. The organisation has incredible social impact; it started off
with one woman taught by Chinni herself, and now offers employment
and growth opportunities for hundreds of people.
How do the quilts connect with the local cultures in India?
The history of quilts in India is very rich and vast. ANEAU products
are made usingkhadifabrics – hand-woven from natural fibres
like cotton and silk – and a traditional method of hand-stitching
known askanthastitching. So, ANEAU is a combination of my
aesthetic and the artisanal skill and workmanship of these women
I collaborate with in India.
Is there a story behind the name ANEAU? It’s a combination of my
name, Anna Sumner Westcott, and my grandparents’ names. It’s also
the last name of a French humanist poet from the 15th century, and
the French wordanneautranslates to ‘ring’, which is very relevant,
as ANEAU started off as a circle of women.How does your photography for this campaign connect with the
project?The photography is by my talented friend Hannah Scott-
Stevenson, and celebrates the landscape around the Himalayan
foothills and the people who live there. We hired a car and went
exploring through Purkal, Dehradun, and up further near Rishikesh
and the surrounding areas, stopping wherever something caught
our eye. The incredible photo of the quilt draped over the placid,
sleepy cow in Rishikesh is probably my favourite.Have you had any particularly stand-out experiences while
travelling in India?My most memorable experiences are centred
around sharing food and stories with the women of Purkal Stree
Shakti. Every day I would sit and we’d share lunch together. We live
very different lives far apart from each other, but still have these
common rituals.
What do you love most about running ANEAU? The people I’ve
met and formed long-lasting relationships with, and the idea that
this little business has a positive effect on families by creating
economic support.Where can we see more of your stuff? aneau.comsydney designer anna westcott
works with crafty women in india’s
himalayan foothills to weave stories
of connection and togetherness.
INTERVIEW SOPHIE KALAGASthe quilt trip
my project