As the final imprint of APPARATUS’ ACT III – a celebration of Creative Director Gabriel Hendifar’s Persian origins and his most personal collection to date – ISFAHAN is a modernist interpretation of the intricate geometric style of Persian marquetry called Khatam.

Khatam is an ancient technique that uses thousands of pieces of wood, metal and camel bone to wrap the surface of forms in a kaleidoscopic pattern. Isfahan, once one of the largest cities in the world, has historically been the meeting point of ideas exchanged between East and West, and is one of the few centres where the art of Khatam is still practiced today. The detail and complexity of the pattern speaks to the intense and sacred implications of the art.

APPARATUS presented SHIRAZ KHATAM, a collection of objects utilising the marquetry method in the Spring of 2018. However, due to US sanctions against trade with Iran, APPARATUS was prevented from producing the limited-edition collection.

Revisited through the neo-futurist lens of APPARATUS, the ISFAHAN textile balances ancient and modern geometry, remaining faithful to both its heritage and the studio’s rich vocabulary.

Le Manach, the historic French textile manufacturer recently reinvigorated by Pierre Frey, was appointed to develop ISFAHAN, bringing nearly two centuries of impeccable experience to the weaving of the collection. East and West are bridged through this collaboration, translating a Persian art form into a textile woven in the French tradition.