Issue 65 9 Editor Lucy Upward Executive Editor Ben Evans Senior Editor Malin Lonnberg Assistant Editor Rachel Meek Contributing Editors Jane Audas, Denna Jones, Corinne Julius, Katie Loux, Elisabeth Parker, Ros Weaver Design & Production Radostina Dobreva, Kanittha Mairaing Sales & Marketing Director David Young Ad & Event Sales Raquel Diaz Downey, David Phillips Digital and Social Media Editor Katie Welch Administration and Subscription Manager Katie Welch COVER is published four times a year by: Hali Publications Limited 7 Ability Plaza Arbutus Street London E8 4DT United Kingdom Company Registration No. 1391142 Contact Editorial: +44 (0)20 3727 4948 Ad Sales: +44 (0)20 3727 4945 Email: info@hali.com Web: www.cover-magazine.com Subscription rates UK Europe USA & Canada Rest of World 1 Year £30 £35 $60* $65* 2 Years £55 £65 $110* $120* 3 Years £75 £90 $150* $165* *Credit cards will be charged in £ Sterling at the current exchange rate. Airmail rates available on request COVER Subscriptions Department 7 Ability Plaza Arbutus Street London E8 4DT United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 3727 4950 E: info@hali.com W: www.cover-magazine.com Printed in the United Kingdom © Worldwide Hali Publications Limited, London, 2021 ISSN print 2042-7069 ISSN online 2042-7077 ® Registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. This periodical is sold subject to the con­dition that it shall not be lent, hired out or other­wise disposed of by way of trade at a price in excess of the recom­mended subscription price, without the prior written permission of the publish­ers. Unsolicited materials While the publishers encourage the submission of unsolicited manuscripts, authors should retain a copy of such, as well as of the illus­trative material. COVER accepts no responsibility for the loss of, or damage to, any such material. Unless return is specifically requested, all unsol­icited mat­erials will be retained. The publishers reserve the right to edit all submitted material as they deem appropriate for publication. Worldwide copyright is held by the publishers, Hali Publica­tions Ltd. Reproduction of any text or illus­tra­tion, in whole or in part, is for­bidden without the publishers’ prior written permission. EDITORIAL Curating new possibilities Taking a positive outlook, the constant disruption COVID-19 created has made us view our industry and businesses with new perspectives and develop more resourceful behaviours Creative thinking has certainly been a driving force for the rug industry in the last twenty months. We have little to thank COVID-19 for but, taking a positive outlook, the constant disruption it created has made us view our industry and businesses with new perspectives and develop more resourceful behaviours. The solutions to the question of how to market a new rug collection in a pandemic are still multifarious, but they have definitely shifted in focus and we have had to adapt. After a year of event uncertainty, we are pleased to report that our COVER Connect New York show in September was a great success (see Reviews) and plans are almost finalised for next year’s edition. It is heartening that most of the big annual international design events are back in action but with travel restrictions still a concern and many companies and people unwilling to travel it is hard for the bigger shows to get back to normal capacity. Online fairs became a big hit while we were all stuck on our laptops at home in lockdown, but now that we are back up and running web-only fairs are not holding the same appeal. Online is clearly the key to showcasing new designs but it is a matter of how. With these thoughts in mind, we at COVER decided to develop COVER Curates, a new way for leading handmade rug brands to present their latest collections, developments and designs to buyers worldwide online. The in-depth editorial coverage of new rug launches and specially focused content for individual brands will begin on the COVER magazine website in January and will be ongoing throughout the year. If you are interested in being part of COVER Curates in 2022, please contact David Young at david.young@hali.com. As another year draws to a close and we look ahead at what the new year might bring, let’s give big, hearty thanks to those people around us who helped us get to this point, and help those in need. As mentioned in this issue’s News section, the people of Afghanistan are heading for a very grim winter under Taliban rule with severe food shortages. To donate to Afghanistan, there are numerous emergency funds online, including the Afghan Weaver Emergency Support programme on the Label STEP website, and the brand Ishkar has aid suggestions and regular fundraising events on their website and Instagram feed. Lucy Upward, Editor