Jean-Pierre Roditi and Mattie Ilel grew up immersed in a world of color, texture, fabric and design in Paris and Istanbul in the 1960’s, as both their families were in the textile business. The love to travel to remote places, small villages throughout Southeast Asia – including all Indonesian islands is Jean-Pierre and Mattie’s biggest inspiration. They personally and very closely work with many different village artisans and get inspired by all the local talent. They design their collections with the same nomadic spirit that they enjoy and hope that this comes through in the clothing and accessories.

The JP and Mattie Collection is designed with a vintage Bohemian flair. All the fabrics used are from natural fibers. The clothes are hand dyed in root and vegetable dyes and dried out in the sun thus giving them their soft, slightly grayed and artisan look. No commercial driers are used. The styling is timeless with little handcrafted details. Nothing is mass produced in factories.

The sandals and bags are all handcrafted in small artisan workshops with a tradition of the master craftsman teaching and training the young artisans.

Hill Tribe bags are made out of deconstructed ceremonial garments that are exquisitely embroidered. As fewer and fewer women continue to make and embroider these outfits, these finely embroidered pieces of art are becoming more and more rare. Many embroidered pieces are now sold as collectables framed and protected by glass to hang on walls.

Jean-Pierre and Mattie love the innate aesthetic of the Hill Tribe women and they try their best, in their small way, to keep this amazing art alive. It is wonderful to see that some of our buyers are so appreciative of them as well.

A nomadic artisan character links the clothes, the artisan leather sandals, the hand woven leather bags and what has now become their signature Hill Tribe bags. A certain “one of a kind” quality make each piece something that will become a favorite treasured piece for many years.

Tanzie Tunic - Kiwi by JP and Mattie

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