Our Journey
Creating this brand is my daydream turned to reality. For the past six years I've spent my winters traveling, designing, growing, and expanding my love for foreign textiles. Our name, Yaatree यात्री, is Hindi for "The Traveler." Through my travels I have made the most amazing connections with artisans in Bali, India, and Morocco. Sharing their craft, colors, and world is my dream come full circle.
This journey of becoming Yaatree began in India of 2018. At the time, I was traveling and buying for Sun Dog, a boutique in Long Beach Island NJ. Sun Dog taught me everything that is travel, textiles and the world of making clothing. Without the guidance of my mentor and friend Michelle, I would of never known this way of life. When it came time to leave the country for work, I decided to continue traveling for 7 months to see as much of Asia as I could. Nothing was keeping me home and there was so much I felt I needed experience. It ended up being the most cathartic and eye opening journey. I met the most inspiring people from all over the world, some of whom are now life long friends. From traveling down the Mekong River by slowboat to Laos to camping in the Indian Desert, I felt so alive and inspired by the travelers way of life. So much so, I wanted to create a style that embodied a well traveled bohemian who is existing and living to the fullest.
Our Baliense Artisans in 2019
As a clothing brand, It is very important to me that my customers know where our clothing is coming from and how it is being produced. We handpick all of our fabric and personally work with artisan tailors from Bali and India, this is why so much of our brand is based around travel. We see this process go full circle, from across the world to you. The creative process of making clothing is truly a journey worth sharing. We do what i like to call “treasure hunt” and sort through already existing fabric and vintage textiles to upcycle and repurpose into our designs. We do our part in the fight against fabric waste by cleaning up the colorful mess that big business leaves behind. Continue to shop vintage, secondhand, sustainable, and also support brands who put in the work, to create something new out of something left behind.
My hope for Yaatree is to be able to encourage people to travel more, to be curious of our creative process, to ask questions about sustainable fashion, and to exist loudly in personal style. To me, your style is your art, your story; an extension of your creative insides being worn on your outside.
-Taylor Thorn
contact : yaatreebazaar@gmail.com
