Former British Vogue Stylist Pippa Holt has collaborated with a community of weavers in Mexico to create a line of  handwoven belts to wear with the kaftans.
Originating in a town called Santo Tomás Jalieza, known as the ‘belt town’, this group has been making belts for many years in techniques passed down from their ancestors. The colourful pieces are handwoven in cotton on a backstrap loom. Master weaver, Abigail, weaves the finest and most intricate of patterns on small looms on her well lit patio. Her work has won national awards.
This is a pre-Hispanic technique that continues to be used without major changes over the centuries. The complexity of the work that can be created on this loom is limited only by the skill of the weaver. The entire loom with the weaving in progress can be rolled up at any time and carried from place to place.
The belts feature depictions of sacred animals, geometry, feather dancers and the animals and plants they see in their daily life, which is interwoven with fine cotton in vibrant details.
The technique of using a backstrap loom consists of securing an end of the loom to a tree or post and the other end to the waist of the weaver, maintaining the tension with the weight of the body, the women sit on straw mats, feet folded, wide leather belts sit on their lower backs, providing hand placement that is conducive to the creation of sophisticated patterns.
* Each belt comes in a handmade clutch bag made from palms.

Stylist Pippa Holt launched her eponymous line of luxury, hand-crafted kaftans in 2016, celebrating her love of fashion design, textiles, far-flung travel and beautiful, original holiday attire.

Pippa Holt Kaftans

Belt No.31

Title

Pippa Holt works with experienced artisans to create handmade, organic cotton kaftans with ease and versatility in mind. No.175 embodies this vision. An extension to the denim collection, with its ‘denim’ base and white woven motifs this kaftan is perfect styled with a shirt for the city, or cinched with a belt on far-flung adventures.

Kaftan No.175

Single panel midi kaftan in navy with black design.

Kaftan No.290

Single panel midi kaftan in neon yellow and white stripe with neon yellow design.

Kaftan No.269

No.116 is a mini version of the popular kaftan No.5. Woven on a backstrap loom, this white cotton kaftan is carefully decorated with an array of blue motifs - no two are the same. The simplicity of this azure and white style is Grecian in feel. Its clean lines and calming colour palette make it a natural wardrobe staple and a versatile piece to wear during hot summer months. Perfect styled with white accessories.

Kaftan No.116

Handmade by Mexican artisan weavers on a traditional backstrap loom, this midi Kaftan is alive with pattern and texture. Utterly unique, its lilac striped cotton base is vivified by turquoise embroidery representing the natural life of Mexico. A holiday ‘must-have’, this single-panel design will see you from beach to bar with ease.

Kaftan No.127

Three panel mini kaftan in khaki with pink design.

Kaftan No.221

Belt No.7

Belt No.20

Kaftan No.153 is a limited-edition piece woven from rare threads dyed with a combination of two plants; indigo for the pink and ´pericon´ for the unique khaki. The equally rare motifs depict an eagle with two heads, representing the remote town in which the Kaftan is crafted. An extremely limited and cherished style in the collection.

Kaftan No.153

Hand-woven using a traditional backstrap loom, Kaftan No. 240 is the mini version of the ever-popular Kaftan 213. The artisanal three-panel design is rendered in subtle pink and white stripes, offset by black motifs that symbolise elements of Mexican culture.

Kaftan No.240

Pippa Holt’s kaftans are handmade by artisan weavers on a traditional backstrap loom – each piece takes one month to complete. The traditional Mexican motif is a recurring theme in kaftan No.114, representing family, love, unity as well as being inspired by the local flora and fauna. The soft yellow and blue design make for a pretty and striking style in the collection.

Kaftan No.114

Belt No.71

Belt No.74

Belt No.36

Single panel mini kaftan in neon yellow and white stripe with neon yellow design.

Kaftan No.311

Current and minimal, this pared back kaftan is elegant with a classic colour palette of white and beige. The mini shape makes it a perfect poolside cover up. Based on the popular No.9 and No.30 in the collection — the organic cotton thread is dyed with natural processes using vegetables and flowers. Style with white accessories for a fresh summer look.

Kaftan No.178

Belt No.29

New for SS20 Kaftan No.265 was created in collaboration with artisans Guelacia and Margarita and is the mini version of No.212. Handwoven in a grey cotton base iTS intricately detailed with black zig-zag motifs. Wear loose for nonchalant ease or with the matching belt No.58 for a more defined silhouette.

Kaftan No.265

Pippa Holt describes the kaftans as ' holiday heroes'. Handmade by Mexican artisan weavers, this khaki style is made from structured cotton and is the supermini version of much loved No.168. “Hand crafted in a great shade of khaki with a plain design this is a crisp, sophisticated piece for SS20”, explains Holt, “This kaftan’s colour palette makes a great neutral.”
· khaki cotton
· 100% cotton
· Dry clean or delicate machine wash.
· Slips on
A kaftan takes one month to make and, due to the way they are hand-crafted, no two are the same. Naturally dyed cotton thread is woven into cloth using a backstrap loom, an ancient weaving technique that has been used by generations in this community located in a remote village in Mexico. The colours of the threads are dyed from natural processes using vegetables and flowers. Holt has collaborated with Felipa, a head weaver who has over 50 years of experience. Along with her daughter, Angelica and a group of artisans, they create one off pieces following age-old traditions. Together they have produced a colourful collection for the beach and the city. Holt first started wearing the kaftans when she was living in Houston. Nothing prepared her for the searing Texan heat and she ended up wearing them every day. "I love the authenticity of these kaftans and how comfortable they are to wear. I call them my "holiday Heroes: they pack small, work day and night on a beach, in a city, with or without a belt. They are incredibly versatile."

Kaftan No.244

Pippa and the artisans worked to perfect the juicy watermelon hue and burgundy motifs of Holt’s No.200 th design. Taking one month to complete, the artisans intricate technique is demonstrated by the hand-stitch seams and elaborate shoulder motif.

Kaftan No.200

Belt No.40

Belt No.8

Three panel midi kaftan in white with khaki design.
Approximately 82 cm wide x 126 cm long.

Kaftan No.256

Pippa Holt’s kaftans are handmade by artisan weavers on a traditional backstrap loom – each piece takes up to one month to complete. This ‘large motif’ style has been woven into the crisp white cloth with meticulous care. A video of the making of this kaftan can be seen in the ‘About’ section of the website. The symbols represent joy, union and family. Each piece is finished with red hand stitched thread.

Kaftan No.77

Hand crafted in deep purple with burgundy motifs, No.142 exudes effortless chic. Its simple, extra short style makes it a versatile piece to wear to the beach or pool. The burgundy colours are naturally and sustainably derived from the purpura patula pansa, a species of sea-snail, picked off the rocks on the coastline at low tide during the winter months. When the dyers squeeze or blow on the mollusks, they give off a foamy secretion which is rubbed onto a skein of cotton. Although it is initially colourless, contact with the air turns it yellow, green, and ultimately purple. The snails are put back on the rocks after this process, which explains why this resource has not been exhausted after so many centuries.

Kaftan No.142

No.165 features a white and pink striped base with woven pink motif, trim and geometric sleeve detail. This maxi-style works just as well belted as it does loose. Slip it on over your swimsuit for market excursions or poolside luncheons.
The three panel kaftans take almost two weeks longer to craft than the single panel styles. The weavers sew the panels by hand using a special macramé technique. The piece is then washed very carefully with natural soap then dried and ironed.