Image: Bolé Road Textiles - Harar Collection, Zinar pillows

New York based designer Hana Getachew started Bolé Road Textiles out of a desire to merge her love of Ethiopian handwoven fabrics with her career in interior design. During her eleven years at a major New York City architecture firm Hana realized her affinity for vibrant colors and graphic patterns was a direct result of her upbringing in a home filled with amazing traditional Ethiopian textiles. Her designs for Bolé Road are an homage to that cultural inheritance and a reflection of her own personal global modern aesthetic.

Image: Bolé Road Textiles, Omo Valley Collection.

Hana says: “I was born in Addis Ababa, the vibrant and sprawling capital of Ethiopia. In contrast to the fast paced crowds of the city, my family’s home was in a beautiful and quaint neighborhood called Bole (pronounced boh-lay). The area’s main thoroughfare is Bole Road. It’s lined with shops, fruit stalls and cafes with taxis and cars whizzing by to and from the city’s main airport.

I took two of the most important trips of my life on Bole Road. The first came when I was only three years old, when my family and I immigrated to North America. The second came eighteen years later when I made my first trip back. That journey back was a pivotal one. I knew I wanted to be more connected to Ethiopia. I wanted to be more involved in the lives of its people and to contribute to its development. I also wanted to harness the overwhelming beauty and power of my first homecoming. As the years passed, I decided the best way to do that was by sharing the traditions and culture of my heritage with others.”

Image: Bolé Road Textiles, Admas Collection

Designed in New York and handwoven in Ethiopia, Bolé Road Textiles marries ancient weaving traditions with a modern global aesthetic. Though weaving is traditionally done by the men of Ethiopia, Hana also partners with studios that are owned and operated by women. Her work with various collectives and studios circles back to her mission of shifting focus and energy to the Ethiopian economy. “It’s about growing something,” she says.

Find out more about Hana Getachew and Bolé Road Textiles.