ToorTan

Is not designed to cover the body,
it is made to adorn it

About
ToorTan

Everything began with shells collected from Hengam and Hormuz Islands (in Iran);
shells broken and polished by time and the sea.
Later, cotton ribbons found while wandering through the old bazaars of Tehran caught the eye in harmony with the shells and were added to them.
As the question of how to join the ribbons and shells together unfolded, the fabrics gradually took shape based on the garment pattern.
One could say that much of the production process was not predesigned, but rather improvised emerging through discovery and experience.A moment born from an unconscious longing for creation through the hands,
a respect for and harmony with nature, a valuing of time and a refusal to fall into the cycle of speed,
a belief in durability and reparability,
and a stance against the censorship and monopolization/appropriation of the female body.

About The Founder

Lale Mokhtari (born 1989) is the designer and founder of ToorTan, a hand-stitched clothing brand shaped by her lifelong connection to nature. She studied graphic arts and later theater, but her true passion has always been hands-on creation, working directly with materials and exploring their possibilities.Years before ToorTan, her experience in metal and sculpture studios strengthened her interest in tactile, material-based work. A free-spirited lifestyle and long travels further deepened her bond with nature and sharpened her artistic intuition.The seed of ToorTan was planted during a trip to southern Iran, where the harmony between cotton ribbons and seashells sparked the first vision of hand-stitched fabric. What began as an experiment gradually evolved into a brand built on three principles: hands-on creation, respect for nature, and a liberated approach to the female body.Today, Lale creates each piece with meticulous hand stitching, emphasizing sustainability and longevity. She uses renewable cotton ribbons, avoids collecting coastal shells, and offers free repair services as part of her commitment to responsibility. For her, ToorTan is more than clothing; it is the expression of lived experience, environmental awareness, and a personal vision of femininity, freedom, and making with the hands.