Fischbacher 1819 X Zollanvari: The Silk Road Collection

With Persian weaving heritage in mind, four new rugs from the Switzerland-based brands add a touch of contemporary stardust to ancient legend

There is a special kind of magic required to transform ancient crafts into fresh contemporary designs that celebrate both the old and the new.

This magical touch is surely possessed by both Fischbacher 1819 and Zollanvari, evidenced by the collaborative rug collection that the two Switzerland-based brands released in April during Milan Design Week.

Drawing on Persian mythology and Silk Road history, as well as ancient weaving techniques and motifs, the collection has a lot to live up to. As Camilla Douraghy Fischbacher, creative director of Fischbacher 1819, comments: This collection is more than a textile proposal: it is an emotional and cultural journey.

It celebrates the spirit of connection that defined the Silk Road. Every thread carries the story of an era, the strength of a vision, the poetry of an encounter

A collaboration rooted in Silk Road history

The four designs were envisioned by Camilla and her team and brought to life by Zollanvari’s expert weavers in Iran. They join Fischbacher 1819’s The Silk Road collection of sumptuous textiles, like the stunning, auspicious cloud-filled Luoyang. The collection’s story continues and expands, to include new strands.

The titles of the four rugs-Kamila, Bejan, Jamshid and Kamran-not only reference figures from the historical ‘Book of Kings’, Shahnameh, but also Fischbacher’s creative director and her three siblings, all of Iraninan descent.

Persian mythology meets ancient weaving techniques

The Kamila and Bejan designs feature the same motif in the border, drawn from a glazed ceramic talisman discovered on a madrasa wall in Khiva, Uzbekistan.

Rooted in Zoroastrianism, the symbol carries a double meaning. Vertically it represents the past, present and future, while horizontally it illustrates the Faravahar, an ancient symbol of Persian culture that embodies consciousness, continuity and the guardian spirit.

Four rugs bringing old and new together

Woven in soumak against a kilim ground, the same symbol adorns the Kamila runner, yet this rug’s construction is unique. Developed exclusively for the collaboration, Kamila-meaning perfect-it features kilim, soumak and souf weaving, the latter a rare relief-style technique from Persian textile heritage.

Jamshid and Kamran, are bold, long-pile designs made with the ziggurat technique.

Jamshid, bright and painterly as a rug, was a legendary Persian king, while the design Kamran-meaning happy and fortuitousdraws inspiration from Fischbacher 1819’s Sitara fabric. Each rug unites old and new with style and elegance.

You can read this article in COVER 83 – available digitally now on Exact Editions.

Words by Lucy Upward

If you would like to find out more about the Fischbacher 1819 brand, you can listen to our latest episode of COVER Conversations, where COVER editor Lucy Upward sits down with Art Director Camilla Douraghy Fischbacher.