The latest in decorative fashion at Woven Treasures

And so does Parviz Yathrebi, the owner of Woven Treasures, 2221 South Street. Open since 1986, Woven Treasures has provided its clientele with a wide-variety of Turkish and Persian rugs. In recent years, Woven Treasures, has expanded its operation to include a Turkish and Persian tile gallery on its ground floor as well as museum quality repairs, appraisals, cleaning and hand-washing services for its rugs.

In many respects, a visit to Woven Treasures, approximates a visit to a museum showcasing artifacts from Middle Eastern and European cultures. But just because the beautiful tiles, artifacts, gift items, jewelry and rugs found at Woven Treasures honors cultural traditions of the past, does not mean that Parviz isn’t interested in finding the latest fashions of the present. And, Woven Treasures recently won "Best in Philly"! So with that in mind, Parviz travels to the European Continent at least one or twice each year. Last summer, Parviz journeyed from France to Turkey. There, he found the Kilm patchwork rug in Paris and in Turkey both the Arabian Rugs, made by Iraqi Marsh people as well as the Suzani needlework made in Uzbekistan.

Some of what Parviz found, like the Kilm patchwork rugs, represent entirely new designs. Whereas other finds, like the Suzani, represent an updated version of an ancient custom.

Take for instance the recent rage in Paris: the Kilm patchwork rugs. It’s the latest in floor covering," Parviz said. "Its designers," Parviz explained, "take old rugs, sheer them down, dye and recycle them, sewing the old rugs together in a patchwork design." According to Parviz, "they’re multi-colored and much less expansive than the traditional rug." For example, at Woven Treasures, patchwork rugs cost $25 per square foot. Thus far, patchwork rugs have proved so popular throughout Europe that one of Parviz’s colleagues sold all 8,000 of his at a recent show in Paris.

Like the patchwork rugs, the Arabian rugs Parviz found in a Turkish village, are also multi-colored but extremely bright. Parviz refers to the design and coloring of the Arabian rugs as reminiscent of a "childhood painting." Notably, while Parviz discovered the rugs in Turkey, they originate from the Marsh people in Iraq. Known as fishing people, who uphold ancient customs, Saddam Hussein, tried but didn’t succeed in draining water from the Marsh people’s lands in an attempt to modernize and control its populations, explained Parviz.

Traveling then to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Parviz discovered the latest renderings of the Suzani pieces. Suzani, which means "needlepoint" in Turkish are designed in a variety of fashions including pillowcases, bedspreads, table clothes, table dividers, wall hangings as well as handbags. Suzanis, hand-stitched on either velvet or silk materials, "are very creative," Parviz remarked. Also more affordable than traditional rugs, Suzani handbags, cost $60 each at Woven Treasures. And like Arabian rugs that come from Iraq but purchased from Turkey, the Suzani’s originate in Uzbekistan.

"We’re very stocked up on every item we need," Parviz said of his store’s collection, also pointing to his trivets. Styled after ceramic tiles, the trivets found at Woven Treasures cost only $12 a piece. "They’re great for plates or wall hangings," Parviz explained.