Every product has a history… each one is a soothing journey for the soul and the senses.

Christine Delpal is an ethnologist, Marc Carbonare an economist. Both are photographers. They created Karawan Authentic in August 2004. It was the natural outcome of 15 years of travel and encounters, and inspired by an aesthetic universe and an art of living peculiar to the East – a lifestyle imbued with a unique sensitivity towards materials and objects and an awareness of traditions and daily rituals respectful of mankind and the environment.

2004-2005 First stop Aleppo with the development of a collection of authentic soaps made from olive oil and laurel oil.

2006-2007 Development of a collection of exclusive Aleppo soaps made with essential oils, in partnership with a perfumery in Grasse. Expansion of the range of Hammam accessories.

2008 Karawan Authentic coordinates and supervises young designers-in-residence at a craftswomen’s cooperative in Rabat, Morocco. A line of necklaces and crocheted and embroidered bath accessories is developed.

2009 The secrets of eastern beauty are incorporated into a complete, organic, care treatment – an initiation into the rituals of the hammam. The journey pushes on to the Far East, to Vietnam, where small-scale producers of silk and buffalo horn carvers become partners in the production of a collection of hair ornaments.

2010 Meeting Hanifa in Anatolia sees the launch of a first collection of Oya textile jewellery. A remarkable, age-old skill in lace-making by hand was re-invigorated in 2011 by Karawan with the launch of a new collection of beautifully coloured necklaces. In less than a year, this initiative helped transform a female domestic activity into a professional activity for 30 villagers. Karawan Authentic helped create the structure, which in addition to providing a regular income, has ensured the transmission of a traditional knowledge.

2011-2012 Hand-stitched leather Ottoman slippers, felted wool, brocade, raw silk, cashmere and woven nettle from the highlands of Nepal, inspire a refined, authentic collection of bags, pouches and fashion accessories.

2013 Development and consolidation of nettle, hemp and silk weaving networks in northern India, in partnership with the State of Uttarakhand, for the promotion of vegetable fibres. Design of a range of handmade jewellery in brass, silver and semi-precious stones, working with a network of craftsmen and women in Jaipur.

2014/2015 The range of organic cotton textiles is expanding with a new collection of foutas and abundant, made with an ethical workshop in Tamil Nadu in India. Nomadic hospitality inspires a range of bowls, trays, stools, mats to travel home from one space to another.

2017/2018 In 2017, an Aleppo soap factory is rebuilt 70 km from Aleppo on the Turkish side. In 2018, the renaissance of a new production line with our historical partner. Creation of new ranges of Aleppo soaps perfumed with natural fragrances.