Rug Star by Jürgen Dahlmanns
Rug Star by Jürgen Dahlmanns

Rug Star by Jürgen Dahlmanns

Archive

Don’t be Coy | ‘Tuft’ by Rug Star

‘RUG STAR TUFT was invented to offer the market a simple message: RUG STAR [hand knotted] in 6 months or RUG STAR TUFT in 6 weeks.’ begins Rug Star’s Jürgen Dahlmanns as we are discussing his new carpet project via email. ‘Of course for both variations we only want to provide the best possible quality and the smartest executions on the market.’ Upon reading this statement I am immediately reminded of the oft referenced ‘Project Management Triangle’ and how its truisms are somewhat antithetical, though not fully unknown to the world of rugs. Is superior quality the goal?

Archive

Let’s get Intimate w/Jürgen Dahlmanns

Platitudes have already been written about Rug Star, its outgoing and buoyant bon vivant founder Jürgen Dahlmanns, and the critically acclaimed and award winning carpets which bear the individually hand signed ‘Certificates of Authenticity’ of this now iconic carpet house. To belabour and restate any of his accolades would be to do a disservice to a man who, not unlike myself, sees the world through an intellectual eye that imparts a high degree of emotional context to his work. Unlike The Ruggist however, Mr. Dahlmanns enjoys several of the the benefits of his Teutonic origins.

Archive

One of a Kind Heart | Rug Star

Recycling, waste diversion, repurposing, upcycling, and the like are all great buzzwords to describe the noble cause long ago embodied in the proverbial phrase ‘waste not, want not.’ While the idea is far from new, the wealth – and occasional excesses of the west – has far removed us from what is an ordinary and necessary way of life for much of the world, including for those in countries that produce the carpets we so love, as well as for those less fortunate closer to home. It’s not even solely a matter of economics, but also one of respect for the resources and materials we as humans choose to consume. If we are to take from the planet, should we not offer it a degree of respect in return? Jürgen Dahlmanns from Rug Star says ‘Yes we should!’ by producing one-of-a-kind versions of his firm’s carpets in their ‘eco’ execution, which utilizes surplus yarns from their ordinary production to create these extraordinarily unique versions. I just could not pass up showing you this amazing one-of-a-kind version of Rug Star by Jürgen Dahlmanns’ ‘Heart’, because love is love whether it is for me, or you, our fellow man, or for mother earth.

Archive

The Carpets of Nepal | Part I

As an industry we bring modernity with all of its inconsequential demands to a place where subsistence agrarian culture still dominates the economy, where manual labour is a way of life, and were exploitation (in wide ranging and various forms) is still a major concern. We also have the ability to bring hope, compassion, understanding, and as I’ve called for, real empathy for the Nepali people. We do this by honouring them for all that they’ve done for us, and by continuing to work with them as they rebuild their country. They are a “patient, studious, artistic, nuanced and extremely hard working people, and I would not be who I am without them.” says Tom DeMarco of Kooches, speaking words universal to any serious designer of modern carpets. With that, The Ruggist presents a photographic journey that explores the best of Nepali made carpets.