Beirut-based furniture company Bokja applies its trademark upcycling of heritage textiles to the world of fashion with “re/form”, a limited-edition of 13 coats that cross the kimono with the abaya, a robe-like dress worn by Muslim women. Bokja collaborated with Lebanese fashion designer Milia Maroun on the reversible “kimabaya” coats, shown in this gallery in deconstructed form:
The “kimabaya” coat combines the lines of the kimono and the abaya in a unique cross-cultural design that aims at both once-off character and comfort.
Bokja, founded by Hoda Barodi and Maria Hibri, specialises in textile designs that derive from different origins. From Afghanistan to Spain to China, their work portrays a global reflection of the textile industry.
Barodi and Hibri’s work juxtaposes what they see as Beirut’s simultaneous beauty and ugliness: "We see it as a democratic exercise in design to put contrasting things together to create a dialogue," adds Hibri.
The collaboration sees Bokja applying its contemporary quilting style to Maroun’s kimabaya design. Also based in Lebanon, Maroun studied fashion design at Esmod in Paris before becoming a lingerie designer and then subsequently launching her own label, which places femininity at the centre of her designs.
The coats are all reversible, with the traditional kimabaya on one side and the signature Bokja assemblage on natural silk on the other.
Bokja sources its fabrics from all around the world and preserves them in a comprehensive textile library. The team subsequently reworks the fabric into furniture and objects. The process of sourcing material began 15 years ago and is ongoing.
