08312006 Lahore Carpet District

By Lissa Wyman

8/31/2006

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DISCOVERING LAHORE'S
CARPET DISTRICT

Lissa Wyman, editor and publisher of Rugnews.com
and husband Bud Wyman explore the
narrow streets of Lahore's carpet district via
horse-drawn rickshaw.

By Lissa Wyman

LAHORE, PAKISTAN -- The merchants of Lahore's carpet district are building a new Carpet Street, a neighborhood that incorporates new merchandising strategies into the traditional ways of selling one of a kind rugs.

The Carpet Street project represents the combined efforts of local businesses as well as the city government.

Carpet Street will open by the end of 2006 and will include not only carpet shops, but some traditional Pakistan handicraft and jewelry businesses, as well.

"We want to maintain the old-fashioned flavor of the street, but update it to make it more attractive to visitors," said Mubashir Iqbai, who served as our guide to Carpet Street.

Iqbai, who is a principal of Tamir Enterprises, runs two businesses in the carpet district. The shops in the area serve local and visiting carpet professionals, local consumers and tourists.

Visitors to the Regional Handmade Carpet Exhibition being held this week at the modern Fortress Stadium Expo Center, also got a taste of the traditional one-of-a-kind market. A group of merchants from the downtown Carpet Market showed in a combined space.

"The trend today is to programmed merchandise, but one-of-a-kind carpets represent the true spirit of the hand knot business. One of a kind carpets remind us of our long traditions. Besides, people enjoy shopping for special pieces and finding just the right rugs," said Iqbal.

The Lahore Carpet Market is a vertical representation of the hand made carpet business. Not only are there shops selling rugs, there are also washing and finishings operations, dye houses and artists who hand paint the intricate cartoon patterns for the weavers. In fact, weaving is about the only thing that is not prevalent in the district. Usually the Carpet Street merchants travel to rural weaving districts to do their buying. Many merchants, such as Iqbai, also contract directly with weavers to knot specific carpets in fashion forward color palettes. "Currently, we are weaving in colors for 2008," he said.

While traditional designs have always been the most important styles in Lahore, Iqbal said there has been recent interest in contemporary patterns. "However, I see indications that traditional style in intricate designs are regaining popularity," he said. He indicated that intricate panel designs and tree-of-life patterns are two style families that are making a come-back. In this area, Bokhara designs are steady best-sellers.

A picture tour of Lahore's Carpet Street:

This way to the Carpet Market!

Mubashir Iqbal, center, was our kind and generous guide to the mysteries of Lahore's Carpet District. Here he is with brother Babar Iqbal, left, and Shafi Mohammed, store manager.