San Francisco, CA — In a city known for tech giants, global startups, and cultural fusion, it’s not every day that centuries-old craftsmanship quietly takes center stage. But 22-year-old Sardorkhuja Akromov is doing just that — threading the vibrant legacy of Uzbek handcrafting into the heart of California’s cultural landscape.
Born and raised in Tashkent, the vibrant capital of Uzbekistan, Sardorkhuja Akromov hails from a family whose roots trace back to Margilan — the historic heart of the country’s textile and silk-making tradition. For over 130 years, his family has carried forward this legacy of craftsmanship. Now based in San Francisco while pursuing his bachelor’s degree, he has transformed his temporary residence into a platform for something much greater: showcasing Uzbek culture to an entirely new audience.
“This is not just fabric,” he says. “It’s identity, it’s memory, it’s power.”
Over the past nine years, Akromov has handcrafted nearly 100 unique pieces — many of them worn by artists, public figures, and cultural leaders across Uzbekistan. His works include robes for celebrities, coats for musicians, and exclusive designs for prominent events. In 2024, his family gifted a ceremonial suzani coat to Maye Musk — mother of Elon Musk — during her visit to Tashkent, where she also visited one of their store branches. “She saw the beauty and understood the message,” he says. “That’s the goal: make culture felt.”
His efforts go well beyond aesthetics. “In a world dominated by fast fashion and synthetic production,” Akromov explains, “people are starting to crave authenticity again. They want to wear something that tells a story — something that wasn’t made by a machine, but by hands that understand heritage.”
While studying full-time, Sardorkhuja remains actively involved in promoting Uzbek textile culture throughout the Bay Area. From leading textile workshops in San Francisco to participating in heritage festivals across San Jose and neighboring cities, he is helping redefine the role of traditional craftsmanship in a globalized world. Known within the crafting community as a “game-changer,” he introduces updated patterns and modern silhouettes that honor centuries-old weaving methods while appealing to contemporary audiences.
He sees no contradiction between tradition and evolution. “If we don’t modernize while staying true to our roots,” he notes, “we risk becoming a museum piece rather than a living culture.”
Looking ahead, Akromov’s ambitions stretch far beyond exhibitions and pop-ups. “I want to bring the technology and spirit of handcrafting — which has been preserved for centuries in my homeland — to the United States,” he says. “To teach people here how to craft by hand, engage them with textiles, and eventually collaborate with international fashion houses to make Uzbek design a global conversation.”
His dream is to establish a permanent cultural and design studio — one that blends education, fashion, and cultural heritage. “We know that when it comes to rugs, everyone thinks of Turkey or Iran,” he explains. “For ceramics, it’s Japan or China. For intricate embroidery, people look to India. For wood carving, many admire Indonesia or Morocco. And for goldsmithing, Italy often gets the spotlight. But Uzbekistan? We produce it all. Rugs, textiles, ceramics, gold embroidery, jewelry, wood carving — you name it. We don’t just specialize in one art form, we live in the intersection of them all..”
Back in Uzbekistan, his family continues to operate a major regional handcrafting center in Margilan — one that, with national support, now serves as a hub for artistic innovation and economic opportunity. While physically thousands of miles away, Sardorkhuja remains closely connected to the family business and its mission to elevate Uzbek culture on the world stage.
His signature pieces — with names like Farg‘ona Go‘zali, Surxon Malikasi, and Sog‘diyona Naqshlari — are more than fashion. They are cultural artifacts, carefully designed and handcrafted with symbolism, pride, and vision.
So what’s next? “To create a permanent presence,” Akromov says. “To build a space where Uzbek culture is not just seen but experienced — a space where heritage becomes future.”
In a world driven by speed, mass production, and fleeting trends, Sardorkhuja Akromov offers a different narrative — one stitched in patience, anchored in heritage, and tailored for generations.