Kaftan No.130 is a ’special edition’ as it takes two months to make. A true collectors item, the process is explained here by artisan Yuridia, who created the piece.
“Only very skilled artisans are able to weave this kaftan. The necklines represent the spine of a snake that appears after the rain. The sacred snake represents the rainbow therefore the spine is a rainbow forming the shoulders of the kaftan. No.130 is made with finer thread then other kaftans, so the artisans need to weave with more strength to give the kaftan the thick structure and durability. Each weaver measures out the number of warp threads needed. In this fine striped kaftan they interweave the white and the red thread until they make 295 pairs of threads. Typically a regular kaftan has the lines 8 threads wide. The motifs are placed in the neckline of the kaftan with no space between them, therefore just very dedicated weavers are able to weave kaftan No.130."
*This kaftan is Limited Edition, just a handful of these pieces are available.

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

Kaftan No.130

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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.

Belt No.25

Featuring pastel tones in baby blue stripes and musk pink, No.103 is soft and feminine. The pink tone is 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.103

Pippa Holt's kaftans are created with ease and versatility in mind - "they pack small, work day and night, on a beach, in a city, with or without a belt," she explains. The subtle colours of No.112 offers a more dusty and delicate colour palette. The natural colour process takes many months to perfect for this style, therefore stock is limited.

Kaftan No.112

Belt No.60

Kaftan No.213 has fast become a Pippa Holt favourite. Handwoven from pale pink and white cotton, its three-panelled maxi style is boldly detailed with black motifs. Toughen up the look with black leather sandals and belt.

Kaftan No.213

Single panel midi kaftan in neon yellow with purple design.

Kaftan No.267

Three panel midi kaftan in white with blue design.

Kaftan No.272

Belt No.37

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

Kaftan No.312

Pippa Holt combats the utilitarian trend with the new and ever-versatile Kaftan No.227. Naturally dyed in khaki with hand woven motifs, it contradicts all predilections that kaftans are ‘beach-side only’. Style it with a shirt underneath and a leather belt at the waist for urban edge.

Kaftan No.227

The three-panel Supermini is a Pippa Holt 'must-have'! H andmade by artisan weavers on a traditional backstrap loom, this cheeky style is woven with pink and tan stripes and decorated with the traditional 'people' motif symbolising: family, love, unity.

Kaftan No.106

Single panel midi kaftan in white with neon multicoloured design.

Kaftan No.296

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.

Belt No.95

Belt No.58

Belt No.38

Kaftan No.92 has a fresh feel and beacons the summer. Handmade in pretty lemon and white striped artisan woven cotton with pastel sprinkled motifs, this statement-making kaftan makes a chic addition to any wardrobe.

Kaftan No.92

Pippa Holt’s handmade cotton kaftans offer ease and versatility - "they pack small, work day and night, on a beach, in a city, with or without a belt," she explains. This white and pink style is on Fashion Editor's holiday hit lists globally. Simple and bright, it adds artisan charm to any vacation. No.13 works well with brightly coloured, metallic or black accessories.

Kaftan No.13

Pippa Holt has collaborated with artisans to create handmade kaftans with ease and versatility in mind. Falling to just below the knee, this version makes a fun alternative to longer length styles. No.74 comes in a monochrome base with multi-coloured motifs and a dark mint, hand-stitched trim. The colourful 'people' motif symbolises family, love and unity in this Mexican community.

Kaftan No.74

Belt No.94

Pippa Holt's eponymous line of kaftans celebrates her love of indigenous textiles, far-flung travel and beautiful, original holiday attire. No.166 features a banana and white striped base with pretty woven pink motifs. 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.

Kaftan No.166

Alive with vibrant stripes of purple and pink, this three-panel midi kaftan reflects the colourful heritage of the Mexican weavers. Each panel is intricately joined together with a traditional hand-stitching technique, while the bold hand-woven multicoloured motifs look on-point with fluoro accessories.

Kaftan No.210

Belt No.24

Three panel mini kaftan in white and blue stripe with red design.

Kaftan No.248

Taking a month to complete, Kaftan No.215 exemplifies Holt’s attention to detail and the weavers meticulous dying and weaving techniques. Perfecting the juicy watermelon hue and contrasting burgundy design was no mean feat. Each panel is stitched together by hand by artisan Monica and her weavers, offering a loose silhouette that looks equally chic worn loose as it does with one of Pippa Holt’s belts.

Kaftan No.215

Clean, classic and cool, introducing the classic, crisp white kaftan. Falling mid length and cut from three-panels, it is intricately hand-embroidered with traditional Mexican motifs. The loose, easy design is the perfect holiday companion. Cinch it in at the waist with one of Pippa Holt’s vibrant belts for an instant colour pop.

Kaftan No. 101

Belt No.55

Hand woven wide candy pink and black belt.
Size: Wide: 7.5 cm / Long: 185 / Plus Fringe

Belt No. 79

Single panel mini kaftan in black with back motifs.

Kaftan No.305

Cool and minimal, this paired back kaftan is elegant with its classic colour palette of white and beige. 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.