Our Story

Vanata (meaning 'weave' in Gujurati) is the brand of a mother and daughter team who have been travelling to India together for nearly 20 years to study textiles and to learn from masters of their craft. Excited by the energy and creativity of a new generation of textile artisans from the Kutch region (the southernmost district of the state of Gujurat, bordering the Arabian Sea to the south and Pakistan to the west), Vanata works with skilled makers, often at the beginning of their careers, to champion their designs.

Imogen is a trained textile designer who works with the cultural enterprise United Artisans of Kutch and fourth-generation weaver, Rajan Vankar to celebrate traditional skills by bringing contemporary, wearable designs to new markets.

We focus on sustainability, quality and craft and all artisans are paid the price that they set for their goods. All our products are created in home environments, allowing the makers to set their own pace of work and balance this with family life.

Imogen

Imogen Catling is a trained textile designer with a deep-rooted passion for sustainable craftsmanship and ethical fashion. Since 2008, she has worked closely with artisans across India, championing traditional techniques and advocating for fair practices in the textile industry.

Imogen’s career began in the fast-paced world of high street retail, where she worked as a buyer for a major brand. Disillusioned by the scale of textile waste and the undervaluing of skilled makers in the supply chain, she moved her focus towards more intentional, artisan-led work.

Her research and writing has featured in Selvedge magazine, and for many years she served as Assistant Editor for TEXT, the journal of The Textile Society, where she explored historical and contemporary textile practices. Currently, she is the Social Media Editor for the Oxford Asian Textile Group, promoting cross-cultural dialogue and textile knowledge.

Kate

Kate Owen is an editor and publisher with more than 40 years' experience of working in the heritage sector. She has a lifelong fascination for the cultural and historical threads that connect Britain and South Asia. Kate studied archaeology and anthropology at Cambridge University and has spent her career exploring and sharing the stories that shape our understanding of the past.

Her work in publishing has included the editing and production of numerous acclaimed publications for the Royal Collection Trust. Notable among these are catalogues for such major exhibitions as Japan: Courts and Culture and Eastern Encounters, which examined the complex and rich relationship between the British Crown and South Asia.

With a sharp editorial eye and a deep respect for historical nuance, Kate brings a curatorial sensibility to Vanata. Her passion lies in uncovering and celebrating the narratives behind objects—particularly those rooted in textile traditions and cultural exchange.

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