Weaving tales with Tulsishop

by Alyssa Jaffer

Woman in a white linen top and trousers and gold strappy sandals sitting on a white wooden bench in a colourful shop. Clothes hang on rails behind her and are folded and stacked on the bench beside her.

All photos courtesy of Tulsishop

 

Browse the collections of creative designer Deborah Nolan’s textiles boutique Tulsishop, and you’ll get a sense of the stories she’s woven into her tapestries. Born as a humble shop hosted in her Puglia home, Tulsishop now has a reach of more than 122,000 followers on Instagram. And it’s not just the racks of kaftans in Tulsishop that are bursting with colour—Deborah’s story of bringing Tulsi to life in a small part of Italy is just as vivid.

Originally from London, Deborah now calls Marittima, Puglia, home—and it’s not hard to see the influences of the breezy winds and waves in her flowing designs. “After years of travelling and adventuring and collecting textiles and indigenous clothing, I found my home in Puglia in southern Italy,” said Deborah. “Here, I found it was finally the right moment to convert the front of my home and open a shop. It was really as simple as that, and in an organic and natural flow, I entered into the world of retail.”

A brand born out of passion, love and adventure, Tulsishop is, at its core, about the wearer. Deborah described what she wants the brand to be remembered for: “I hope Tulsishop is known for its blending of colour, proportion and texture,” she said. “A clothing that focuses on easy, unstructured silhouettes in beautiful high-end natural cottons and block prints. A timeless inspiration for warmer climates.”

 
Woman in a loose-fitting crimson kaftan smiling at the camera and holding a big bunch of bright red chilli peppers.
Woman in a long red kaftan standing in a corner between two large windows, gazing out towards a brilliant blue sea.
 

This relatability translates to Tulsishop’s e-commerce site and Instagram feed, where Deborah herself models nearly all of her own pieces. “Inclusivity for Tulsishop means providing an item of clothing for all body types, suited to anyone young or old,” said Deborah. “I feel Tulsishop offers a wide variety of handwoven fabrics and natural dyes to suit everyone.”

Deborah has created more than a clothing shop—Tulsishop is an expression of her identity, as a woman, as an artisan and as an adventurer. “I hope women of all ages can relate to my vision,” Deborah said.

“I am an older, natural and very normal woman who feels confident and comfortable with my body, dressing in bohemian flamboyant dresses and often accessorising with belts, bags and jewellery from craftspeople from far flung destinations in Asia, Africa and Mexico.”

 
Woman in a loose-fitting white cotton dress standing in a shop amongst other clothing and handcrafted items.
 

What makes Tulsishop unique is Deborah’s own spirit at the heart of it, something that makes connecting with her brand all the more effortless. “These days there are very few individual and original stores, everything is the same. So I hope Tulsishop is a reflection of what once was just my private collection—but now, years later, translates into my four shops dotted around Salento,” she said. 

 “It gives me great joy to be able to share my finds with like-minded people who appreciate unusual beautiful pieces of clothing and objects.”

tulsishop.com
@tulsishop

 
 
 
 
 
INTERVIEWAlhaus magazineFeature Nov 22