In a world driven by progress and artificial intelligence, many artisans fear that their work may eventually be replaced by robots. However, in Tatarstan, there remain advocates of handmade crafts who see value in preserving and developing these practices, which have long been an essential part of culture.
The editorial team of Idel magazine spoke with Mira Rakhmat, founder of the Tatar crafts school and bureau qul eşe, to learn about the future of national culture and the meaning hidden behind embroidery and creative work.
On the Idea of Creating qul eşe
“The idea came in 2016, when I had my own brand of modern clothing with a national focus — Mira Rakhmat. I wanted to create a collection with cultural elements, using not only printing and machine embroidery but also limited handmade items. At that time, there were few communities where young people came together to practice handcrafts that were valued and in demand. I searched for artisans but found almost none who openly positioned themselves around these values. Maybe I didn’t search well enough, but I also faced a second problem — a lack of interest among young people. I realized that I wanted to continue developing the theme of crafts, which I felt was fading away, while I viewed it as an essential part of any culture.
Later, after working with major clothing brands in Moscow, I returned to Kazan with the awareness that I wanted to create a project where people would be taught traditional crafts and brought together by shared interests. In 2022, I was able to realize this idea by opening the school qul eşe.”
Facing Early Challenges
“In 2022, this field was still poorly developed. People were interested in handmade work, but it didn’t attract a wide audience. So, I began actively promoting it: constantly showing my own activities and presenting a new format of working with crafts.
Financial challenges were also significant. At the time, I had to invest heavily from my own resources without any external support.”
The Project’s Target Audience: Women Over 30
“Our main audience is people over thirty. Typically, at this age, people begin to seek a deeper understanding of their identity. That’s when they want to engage in self-discovery and immerse themselves in their native culture.
But we also have many students and teenagers. Interest is present among twenty- and even fifteen-year-olds, though the majority of our core audience is thirty and older.”
From School to Bureau
“We started as a school, but since the end of 2024 we have mostly operated as a bureau, focusing on commissioned work. Still, we continue to organize workshops at festivals and private events.
By shifting to a bureau format, we began receiving more interesting proposals. Today, our focus is on projects connected with the restaurant business, art, and fashion. For example, we are creating an item for a Moscow couture brand, embroidered in the Kazan stitch.
We aim to introduce the Kazan stitch into everyday life. For one restaurant, our team created pillows and bill holders decorated with this technique.”
Plans for Expansion
“We plan to scale the project, broaden its scope, and cultivate it further. We understand that this is not a fast process, but we also know how to move forward and what we want to achieve.”
A Message to Convey
“Every culture is unique and valuable. Preserving it is essential because this is what makes us different from one another. It’s important to maintain diversity and pass it on to future generations.
Through culture, we can become even closer. At our workshops, we see how groups come together, people meet, talk, and connect. They are brought closer by the place, the activity, and the shared understanding that we are speaking the same cultural language.”
About Mira Rakhmat and Her Journey
Childhood and Creative Pursuits
“No one directed me toward this activity; I always had the freedom to choose. My parents — my father, a police colonel, and my mother, a lieutenant colonel of the Federal Penitentiary Service — were far from this kind of creativity.
At first, I wanted to become an actress, so I studied in a music school. Later, I decided to apply to a fashion design program and also completed an art school course externally. I always knew I could follow my heart, and my parents supported my choices.”
Learning Through Communication
“I’ve always been interested in creating unusual things. I understood that developing traditional crafts was about unique, one-of-a-kind work.
I’ve been engaged with Tatar culture since 2014. I enjoy not only the theoretical side but also talking with experts — ethnographers, historians, collectors — and observing how traditional crafts evolve in other fields. This curiosity and effort shaped my current knowledge and my understanding of what Tatar culture consists of, especially decorative and applied arts.”
Not Every Master Can Teach
“Our workshops are conducted by specialists, while I act as the organizer who understands the meaning, plans everything, and leads the process. I don’t embroider myself, although I know the techniques.
I used to worry that I wasn’t a full practitioner of these crafts. But then I realized that not everyone who masters the technique is able to explain it, teach it, and bring it to a certain level.”
Projects Close to Her Heart
“I have many projects, and they are all dear to me. If we speak about crafts, my favorite creation is the bureau. I also lead author’s tours to the most authentic corners of Tatarstan. There were fewer of them in 2025 due to my workload, but I’d like to dedicate more time to this project.
As for a specific product, my greatest love, into which I’ve poured much time and effort, is the film ‘The Kazan Stitch’, created with director Bai Khairullin. This was probably a key turning point where I felt I had done something meaningful for the craft. To this day, the creation of this documentary remains my most valuable case. It was the result of three years of work, and the project continues within various events.”
Author of the text: Ekaterina Semenova
Collage by: Rail Nabiullin
Photos provided by the author
Source: idel.top
