The Pink City
Jaipur hasn’t always been so pink...
It is believed that the buildings were painted in 1876, in an effort to impress the Prince Albert and Queen Victoria ahead of their state visit. The King of Jaipur at the time, Sawai Ram Singh II, arranged for all buildings in the city to be painted the same shade of pink; a colour that symbolises hospitality.
Due to its popularity, a law was passed in 1877 making it illegal for buildings in the old city to be painted any colour other than “Jaipur pink.”.
It still remains the law to this day.
Behind the Colour
Although symbolising hospitality in Jaipur’s architecture, the colour pink is more widely known as being the universal colour of love, femininity and friendship. As the combination of red and white, pink contains the strength and passion of red, but softened and enlightened with the purity of white. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exudes.
It is a truly calming colour, known for the relaxed and positive energy it brings. Natural pink gemstones like rose quartz and pink tourmaline are believed to relax, bring serenity and contentment, as well as to harmonise and soften frustrations.
Natural & Artisanal
Natural dyes and fabrics are integral to our range. On our trip, we watched the artisans in awe, manipulating and tying fabrics to create incredible tie dye effects. We were delighted to work with the artisans in our Jaipur unit on the Amira Tie dye dress (below top 3 images). We love that we can bring a part of the city into our designs. Having this dress dyed and wood blocked with natural colours from Jaipur makes it all the more special for us.
***All images are a curated selection from our recent trip to Jaipur, copyright of images belongs to Jo Mitchell.
I was very sad when you closed your shop in Guildford and then disappeared ! I am so glad you are back , I have your clothes going back years and still wearing them . They are timeless.
So pleased to East back. Quality clothing that stands out.
I was at a BBQ yesterday and wore a tunic I bought in East 4 years ago. So many compliments. So glad to see you are back. Good luck!
Hi, I was a huge fan of East, and my wardrobe is full of their gorgeous cotton, wool, linen or silk clothes.
I specially liked their Anokhi range. Are you still working with Anokhi?
Oh my with such stunning photographs we all now need to go to India and wear some of your beautiful clothes when we visit glad you are back with style.