Meet Tala Barbotin-Khalidy
{ on healing through your practice }
Deeply inspired by Lebanon and Syria’s rich cultural history and artisanal practices, fashion designer Tala Barbotin-Khalidy explores and celebrates her family heritage through building empowering bridges, creative activism, and embroidery techniques to a larger audience.
As she’s collaborating with local artisans to preserve ancient production techniques, Tala’s bold creativity and insight around mindfulness have also led her to mashup her knowledge and personal experiences and diffuse a practice centered around the purpose of healing others through the hands-on stitch in ornaments.
We spoke to Tala about life right now, the vulnerability of being in touch with oneself, and the significance of community.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m French Lebanese, I was born in Paris, and moved to New York in 2014 to complete a Bachelor in Fashion Design at Parsons the New School. I now have my own brand, Tala Barbotin Khalidy, working with Lebanese and Syrian artisans to revitalize local techniques that are disappearing, and teaching community-centered textiles and meditation as healing tools. I love traveling (when I can) being in nature, and opening myself up to new discoveries. I also practice Buddhism and have a tiny cat named Miza.
Credits: Tala Barbotin-Khalidy
At what point did you realize you wanted to become a designer and a meditation teacher?
I wanted to become a designer at around 8 years old! As far as embroidery goes, I got back into it when I was in university at Parsons, inspired by its potential as a healing tool and also by the immense resources of embroidery techniques that exist in Lebanon or Syria that I grew up with around. I became a meditation teacher in 2019, after benefitting from meditation in my own personal life, and in the hopes of combining it with embroidery classes as well.
What purpose do you aim to accomplish through your project?
The brand mission is to introduce countries like Lebanon or Syria to people in new lights, by celebrating their culture, their beautiful and intricate crafts, but in a contemporary way. I consider that embroidery and handmade pieces can be an expression of personal identity: the pieces I design are an outcome of layers of storytelling ranging from the cultural significance of a motif or fabric to my personal take on a technique or silhouette. On the flip side, the aim is to help perpetuate these crafts, which is why I teach embroidery classes. The meditation and embroidery workshops then work hand in hand. Meditation is a way to exercise your mind in a focused way, and embroidery is a physical outlet that complements the work done in meditation and engages our creative muscles.
What are some of the challenges you had to face personally in 2020?
Personally, I would say the Beirut explosion was one of the most impactful events of the year. I was not there but my friends and family were hurt, traumatized, the city destroyed… I felt states of disassociation, worries, and survivor’s guilt being in the comfort of a city like New York. The explosion damages were affecting people on top of an economic crisis and a pandemic, and it was hard to fathom at the time how people would rebuild, but they did and they still are, by themselves, with no governmental help.
It’s been ups and downs but 2020 definitely made me get in touch with myself a lot more, my fears, my hopes, and dreams…and I have found that my friendships and relationships haven’t suffered.
It was of course challenging to grow a brand during this time and doubt crept in at the time, but I kept it at bay!
What has been your most meaningful lesson?
I think to be very careful about letting myself think I have time to waste when really we have no idea what could happen in a moment or two! So not necessarily to turn into a productive monster, but rather find out what is important to me, to honor that, as well as to never sweep things under the rug, and face life head-on.
Credit: Tala Barbotin-Khalidy
What ways have you found effective to better take care of yourself and get your “creative juices” flowing these past months?
Sticking to my meditation practice, and finding a sense of excitement in every aspect of what I do, even if it isn’t creative! Helping other people be creative also helps keep me creative :) Thinking outside of me, myself, and I, to see how I can better serve a community. I also am constantly curating Spotify playlists and music makes me tap into my creativity.
“Meditation is a way to exercise your mind in a focused way, and embroidery is a physical outlet that complements the work done in meditation and engages our creative muscles”
Tala Barbotin-Khalidy
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
“When a fisherman can’t go to sea, they mend their nets.”
Credit: Tala Barbotin-Khalidy
Who or what are your main influences and inspirations?
Traditional techniques and garments from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, uneven and unexpected textures found during my walks, subtle moments of love and compassion, and observing nature.
I’m also immensely inspired by people from my community, illustrators like Nourie Flayhan and Rama Duwaji, or collage artists like Adra Kandil, even jewelers like Sayran Barzani with her brand Sayran.
Cineasts and artists like Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Nadine Labaki, and Abbas Kiarostami also come to mind. I also get inspired by architecture and interiors, and as far as motifs go, I like to draw from surroundings that merge nature and constructed living spaces.
Discover Tala Barbotin Khalidy’s work on her website talabarbotinkhalidy.com, on Instagram @tala.barbotinkhalidy, and sign up for one of her upcoming meditative workshops here!