In the spirit of the kilim (hand-woven Persian rugs) and the 52 nomadic tribes who still make them, Mahin Shafei brings the culture of the hand-made into people’s lives. The House of Seven Moons specializes in high-quality kilim, with their wonderfully irregular patterns and stunning vegetable-based dyes. There is also jewellery, bags, scarves, locally made ceramic and wood home wares.
“My business is based on people appreciating handmade things. In Persia, seven is a lucky number. I want to keep this tradition and through the rugs introduce people to good things about a country they don’t know,” says Mahin.
Inside The House of Seven Moons, rough-cut semi-precious stones gleam like the smooth facets of pomegranate seeds. They are nestled into intricate metal neckpieces laid over the patient, collective visions of many women across the diverse Iranian climates. A necklace of tiny white-beaded silk fuchsia tassels dangle in their bunch amongst little paintings of Montreal-area forests, a freezing Laurentian brook gurgles into juxtaposed kilim of 10 different shades of soft pinks, purples, oranges, burgundies. In The House of Seven Moons, a sea connecting international borders, mediums and countries meld, each colour, each shape and form catches clamours softly for attention in turn.
Mahin’s curated collection of unique pieces brings the warmth and liveliness of the environments in which they are made. For the kilims this means the natural surroundings of the women who weave them, pursuing ancient tradition in the modern age.
