Museum Material at Taykeo Textiles, Laos

Taykeo -  textile family savoir faire

Out in the Vientiane suburbs, after some hesitation, we finally stopped in front of a leafy garden with a modest sign: Taykeo Textiles Gallery.

Ms Taykeo Sayavongkhamdy opened the door and welcomed us in French in her spacious house. She studied in Paris at La Sorbonne in the seventies. 

Soon, we were ushered upstairs to have a look at a few talented weavers creating wonders on their looms. Seeing that Lao textile traditions were dying out making way for shortcuts to sell simpler pieces produced with chemical dyes, she took a different turn. Taykeo has gone back to natural dyes and intricate patterns to be true to traditional colours and designs her mother would have approved.

Taykeo textiles receives orders from Japan for intricate patterns in subtle patterns and colours.

Keeping Lao tradition alive

A modern piece based on a traditionnal Lao naga pattern

Traditional Lao weaving patterns depict nagas - a mythical snake living in the Mekong River and protectors of Vientiane.  

The space is filled with geometrical nagas  heads, bodies and tails. 

Naga in ikat

Samples from her collection























She has been collecting antique textiles for years and one day would like to display them. For some of the pieces, she has a story to tell. She wore the tube skirt as a child for an important reception.

 "You never wore them twice at important functions', she said.

Gold threads are imported from Lyons, France

Ikat naga design

Such a rich collection deserves to be displayed for textile passionates to enjoy.

Glass cabinets are filled with antique textile pieces, some are over 200 years old.

Give Taykeo a call before your visit and enjoy her commitment to tradtional Lao textiles.