Honoring Aidai Asangulova: Kyrgyz Felt Craftsmanship and Artisanal Traditions

Earlier this year, one of our incredibly talented partners of 15 years, acclaimed fiber artist and designer Aidai Asangulova (Sep 5, 1978 – Jan 25, 2026) passed away. Aidai dedicated her life to preserving and celebrating Kyrgyz nomadic heritage through traditional felt craftsmanship, and the revival of traditional costumes and headdresses. We teamed up with her sisters - Nurzhamal and Klara, her dear friends and community, the Craftspring team and our neighbors Tatter Blue Library to celebrate her life and incredible achievements.

A visionary cultural leader, Aidai worked tirelessly to revive traditional arts through her ethnographic work with NGO Kiyiz Duino and her practice at Studio Bukon. Her dedication extended across mediums— from embroidery and jewelry to traditional costumes and headdresses— and generated a rich body of work rooted in tradition. Through her work, her masterclasses, and her community leadership, she ensured that these vital expressions of Kyrgyz identity continue to be celebrated and passed down to future generations.

Aidai's work was pivotal in gaining international recognition for the Kyrgyz traditional headdress called the Elechek. You can glimpse into the deep cultural meaning of this headdress through this video Aidai and her team assembled here. This submission ensured that the traditions and rituals around the Elechek became a part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at UNESCO.

Aidai also stewarded the inscription of the Ak-Kalpak traditional hat into UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. Here is a beautiful video based on her research throughout Kyrgyzstan. "Ak-kalpak craftsmanship is a cumulative, ever-evolving body of knowledge and skills passed down by craftswomen in the communities concerned comprising felting, cutting and sewing and pattern embroidery. Related knowledge and skills are transmitted via oral coaching, hands-on training and joint making in workshops. More than eighty kinds of Ak-kalpak can be distinguished, decorated with various patterns bearing a sacred meaning and history."

Continuing a multi-generational legacy of renowned felting artists, Aidai also pioneered an innovative technique fusing silk and felt, allowing for intricate patterns and precise design, also known as nuno felting. This groundbreaking work brought her studio international recognition and helped share Kyrgyz textile traditions with a global audience. Aidai was a regular participant in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Festival. 

 

In April, Aidai’s sisters, Nurzhamal and Klara visited us in Brooklyn and led a hands-on workshop for our team at Craftspring. It was a joyful experience to explore the melding of silk and wool fibers and see how each handmade design reflected our individual creativity and personal style. 

With the generous support of Tatter Blue library, Nurzhamal and Klara were also able to lead a public-facing workshop with Tatter's community of makers. Dozens of makers and creatives gathered for two workshops in Tatter's beautiful creative space.

Throughout the month of April, we were honored to showcase and sell Aidai’s beautiful handmade scarves in our Community Art Gallery space. These artisanal textile pieces immediately drew visitors into the shop, sparking curiosity and conversation as people connected with the rich cultural story and craftsmanship behind her work.

Culminating all of these exchanges and gatherings, we also had the honor to host a memorial for Aidai in our office, honoring her legacy with traditional Kyrgyz music, food, and a wide and special gathering of friends who traveled from near and far to celebrate Aidai. Her sisters, Klara and Nurzhamal, wore their traditional elechek, friends and family shared stories of Aidai’s remarkable contributions to preserving Kyrgyz textile traditions and artisanal craftsmanship, and then we were surrounded by the beautiful sounds of a Manas recitation and live performances featuring the komuz and temir komuz. We felt Aidai's generative spirit among us. 

Aidai’s artistry, generosity, and dedication to her craft continue to inspire us every day. Her work reminds us that handmade design carries not only craft and beauty, but also identity and a continuous path to our ancestors, as well as a connection forward to those who will follow us. 

We feel deeply grateful to have been part of her journey and to have gathered with her community and family in such a celebratory and uplifting way. We are honored to continue working with Nurzhamal, Klara and their team. More coming soon on some of the ongoing projects we are developing together to continue Aidai's work and ethnographic endeavors.