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Master Tailor Jamyang and Norling bears

In Tibet, tailoring is a fine art.

Norbulingka's master tailor, Jamyang, trained with his father, a master tailor from the Kham region of Tibet. At Norbulingka Institute tailoring is divided into four areas: appliqu», fashion design, tent making, and accessories and toys.

The finest work done by the appliqué artists is the making of silk thangkas. Constructed of hundreds of hand-cut pieces of silk and brocade, these elaborate creations require many months of work. Thread and hairs from a horse's tail are used to embroider the outlines and details of the figure. The figure is cut from brocade or silk, its edges ironed smooth, and it is hand sewn onto the base cloth. Working from drawings by the thangka master, the tailors create elaborate images of deities. These appliqué thangkas can measure anything from a standard two feet to the sixteen storey kyigus which were hung down the front of monastery buildings during religious festivals.

Appliqué artists use raw silk, fine silk, cotton, and other quality materials to create practical items such as pillow covers and bed covers, as well as decorative items such as wall hangings of the Eight Auspicious Symbols.

Appliqué work in the tailoring section - image of Garuda

Designs are first drawn on paper, then a stencil is created by punching tiny holes through the paper, following the lines of the drawing. The paper is placed over a piece of cloth, and chalk is dabbed over the holes, marking the design onto the cloth. The consequent dots are transformed into smooth, precise lines using a pen.

The fashion design studio of Norbulingka Institute produces a unique line of Tibetan-influenced apparel. Tibetan designers and dressmakers have received additional training from Western fashion experts, enabling them to combine traditional Tibetan elements with Western design. The dresses, blouses, bathrobes, waistcoats and other handmade clothes are comfortable, stylish and extremely popular.

Tailors in the tent making studio work on a large scale with heavy cotton canvas. In the 1920s in Tibet, a tailor designed a tent to be used by townsfolk who wanted to be comfortable during customary extensive Tibetan picnics, which could last up to two weeks. This style of tent is now produced by Norbulingka Institute tailors. Awnings and canopies for use at monasteries or festivals are made in the traditional style, as are the functional door curtains found throughout Tibet and the Himalayan region. The latest work of the tent making studio is a line of bed covers created in co-operation with the appliqué tailors.

For the fun of children and the enjoyment of collectors, Jamyang, our master tailor, has created stuffed toy animals representing the unique fauna of Tibet. These include yaks, black and brown bears, marmots, and the famous and much loved dogs: the Apso and the Tibetan mastiff. Many are dressed in traditional Tibetan costumes, presenting aristocratic bears and nomadic yaks.