ISHKAR was founded in Kabul in 2016 with the belief that luxury craftsmanship has the power to change the way the world views places impacted by conflict. Working with exceptional artisans in locations that are often overlooked due to real and perceived barriers to international trade, ISHKAR has come to specialise in rugs from Afghanistan.

These rugs, the founders will tell you, are some of the finest in the world, owing to the unique skills of Afghani weavers, and their access to exceptional natural wool, silk and dyes. Their mission is to make Afghanistan’s rugs a household name. And by doing so, spread a more nuanced story about a country and people for whom there is often a single narrative. ISHKAR also sells a variety of exquisite crafts in its Columbia Road shop and through quarterly online drops of jewellery.