ABO London is not your typical scarf company. The highly impressionist printed scarves could look just as good up on your wall as on your neck. This is hardly a coincidence, as Kazakhstan-born Aliya Boranbayeva had occupied herself with oil paintings – they are regularly exhibited in London, and some of her artworks can be seen online at Saatchi Gallery – in her spare time, which she ultimately decided to use as designs. The brand story is just as intriguing. Boranbayeva and her friend Aizhan Bodanova had been living in London for while and, inspired by the famous Silk Road which once connected the West and the East, they decided to make a product that would combine the rich heritage from Central Asia and modern elegant dynamism of London.
Both passionate about art and fashion, they joined forces to launch ABO London, a company dedicated to scarves, in May 2012. The idea was to create scarves versatile and multifunctional. The collections are inspired by traveling and the unique landscapes of nature, with their diverse beauty being imprinted on luxurious materials.
The scarves are crafted with premium, eco-friendly natural fabrics, like pure silk and silk wool fabric, and come in various sizes, which allow for multiple ways of wear – around the neck, on the head, around the waist, as a sarong or summer dress. The duo is always experimenting with colors and designs, neatly incorporating an artistic element in their creations. Their vast color palette ranges from vibrant brights to soft pastels, and adorn not only scarves but also home accessories – cushions, mugs and greeting cards – and artwork. Their products are hand painted and hand finished to detail.
Apart from their bold graphic scarves, the company also stands out thanks to their ethical manufacturing values that lie in the core of its business. ABO London uses entirely environmentally friendly processes, does not waste water or electricity in favor of production or uses animals. Their business ethos has been recognized and awarded by multiple sustainable organizations; the Ethical Fashion Forum – the industry body for sustainable fashion; the SOURCE Awards in 2012, where ABO London was one of the finalists; the Global Awards for Sustainable Fashion, who named them as a “One to Watch” in the Innovation category; the 2013 Kazakh Entrepreneur of the Year, where they were awarded by the British-Kazakh Society at the House in Commons.
www.abolondon.com
Images © Abo London via Pinterest
Featured image via Pinstripe and Pearls
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