The Matrushka Muslin Line
By Quynbi Ada
Always one to take a stand, Matrushka says No.
Matrushka says:
Let’s get back to basics.
Make your wellness your highest priority.
Use your voice where and when you can.
Practice kindness.
Love fiercely…most especially, yourself.
In times of great upheaval and change, we must strip down to our raw nature, one of being in touch with the mindbody and with the elements around us, coming back home to ourselves.
There, and only there, can we cultivate a center, from which, with practice, we cannot be deterred.
Wear not War
Matrushka’s owner and designer, Laura Howe, practices these principles via an innate textile language. This season, she introduces the ethereal Muslin Line. Here, she strays a bit from her usual color palette in light of recent world events, getting down to business with a raw weave that you can really work with.
Muslin comes with a storied history, dating back several millennia. Originally from the Bengal region of India around Dhaka (now Bangladesh), muslin, first known as Mulmul, is generally made from 100% cotton. A light, highly breathable and budget friendly fabric, it’s easy to see why it once bore the nickname “woven air”. Muslin often comprised traditional jamas and saris, and often still does now.
Throughout ancient days, the prized muslin was traded globally, with one of the largest trade hubs found in Mosul -- an Iraqi city from which muslin’s original name was derived.
Now, muslin is often used by designers for prototyping, aka toiles/mockups to test new patterns prior to committing with a cut on a pricier piece of fabric.
Bleached, unbleached, or raw, the soft touch of muslin is ideal for simple masterpieces that are both easy to clean and also said to improve in texture with additional washings. It’s even gentle enough to swaddle a young babe or use as a medical dressing.
19th century Europe saw muslin used for garments such as ladies’ chemise gowns, markers of wealth and status for those who could afford the laborious-to-make fabrics. Generally showcasing a high empire waist, embroidery, and ruffle embellishments, these sheer muslins were imported from makers in India.
As a versatile fabric, muslin has also found its way through the centuries with uses for the home, kitchen, stage, and studio. Think cheesecloth, theatre and photography backdrops, and the like.
Back to Basics with The Muslin Line from Matrushka Construction
From smart basics to new incarnations of Matrushka’s classic screenprints, The Muslin Line offers stripped-down garments that can be paired seamlessly with Howe’s takes on the women’s jacket or blazer, for example. Capsule pieces and statement tees appear in ethereal simplicity, raw neutrals ready to quell the war within (if you still have one) (and who doesn’t?!).
Matrushka’s Muslin Line drapes cleanly to create a true shape, simple and wise. Perfect for warm months, the effect of the Muslin Line is a lot like wearing air. New and classic Matrushka cuts inhale with a breath of brand-new life, living up to being called woven air.
In the words of early punk band CRASS: There is no authority but yourself. Imagine a world where we all looked within to grow, to strive for betterness, to find answers on how to get along in this life. This makes for a worthy goal, a solution both personal and political. A dream light and clean as woven air.
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