India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, once said, “The history of India may well be written with textile as its leading motif” and we couldn’t agree more. It’s a profound reminder that India’s cultural story is woven into every garment.
It’s no secret that India is home to a rich tapestry of textiles, crafts, and silhouettes. Over the last year I’ve spent here, I’ve had the chance to travel to textile-rich towns such as Chanderi and Maheshwar, re-learning the ABCs of Indian craft. Some have already shaped my past collections and others, I hope, will become muses for my future ones.
Read on for a lyrical look at the fabrics and embroideries that continue to define our style even today.
A is for Ajrakh. Block printing from Gujarat. Dyed in natural dyes, often a deep indigo, under the sun or stars. Once worn by kings. Still worn by the wise.
B is for Bandhani. A special tie-and-dye technique. Tiny constellation-like bindings are tied by patient fingers. Unfurled, a maze of pattern and colour. Chaos in its most beautiful form.
C is for chikankari. Embroidery characterized by white-on-white needlework. Soft as morning light on the verandah. Delicate but never fragile - like the woman who wears it. Chikankari was the art form we spotlighted in our very first chapter, so it continues to hold a special place in our hearts.
Pieces from that collection can be found here.
D is for Dupatta. It trails, floats, flares. Usually draped over the shoulder, it knows modesty, rebellion, and the soft fragrance of attar on your neck.
E is for Embroidery. Threads that weave stories. Of peacocks, patterns, and forgotten motifs. Sometimes a blooming flower, sometimes a shape you can’t quite name.
F is for feather stitch. A flutter on fabric. Looped to resemble a feather. Used when one is in no rush to finish.
G is for Gota Patti. A forte of Rajasthan. Mesmerising dots of gold, silver or copper zari are sewn onto a fabric, turning every hem into a hush of grandeur and a shimmer of festivity.
H is for Handloom. Woven not just with yarn, but with time, heritage and the hum of looms echoing through village homes where patience is passed down like property.
I is for Ikat. Threads dyed before they meet, like a love story you read about in books. Blurred edges, bold heart.
J is for Jamdani. A story on muslin where intricate patterns float like dreams - woven not printed. Each motif is a memory held in warp and weft. No wonder a Jamdani saree can take years to complete.
K is for Kantha. Kantha is care, in running stitches. Old sarees reborn as quilts, blankets, or cushion covers. Embroidered with lullabies soaked in the quiet pride of rural hands. We’re looking forward to sharing our next chapter with you soon - it brings kantha alive in a way we love.
L is for Leheriya. Not just tie-and-dye. It’s tradition and Rajasthan’s rainbows spun into colour, zig zagging across fabric like joy in motion.
M is for Maheshwari silk. Born by the Narmada river, this handloom fabric glints in the sun. Often draped as a saree that sways with elegance, like a river wrapped in nine yards.
N is for Nauvari. The traditional Maharashtrian saree. Nine yards of beauty. Draped like armour. Moves like poetry. For women who balance tradition in their hips and revolution in their stride.
O is for Organza. Transparent, temperamental and rustles like the wind. Sheer, sharp with a sheen that commands elegance. The Mariyah Embroidered Curtains and the Aaliya Dress from Chapter 1 are set in this exquisite fabric.
P is for Phulkari. Punjab in full bloom. Petals embroidered by patient hands, blooming across dupattas like fields in spring.
Q is for Quilting. It’s what happens when time, fabric and affection are stitched into silence. Multiple layers, and stories, come together for a brand new chapter.
R is for Resham work. Resham is silk with a purpose. Each silk thread is tamed into borders and blossoms. Each strand a stroke of finesse.
S is for Sanganeri Print. Hand-block print featuring flora and fauna, it carries the scent of Rajasthani summers. Each wooden block laying the foundation of a new tale.
T is for Tie-Dye. Knots, dips, dyes. A medley of method and magic is born. Colour collides with instinct and symmetry is born out of surrender.
U is for Uppada Silk. An heirloom from Andhra Pradesh, the uppada silk saree is embedded with zari work. It floats, shimmers and speaks in a tongue grandmothers are familiar with.
V is for Varanasi Brocade. Also known as Banarasi Brocade. A regal speciality from Varanasi that is not worn, it is inherited. Each zari thread is spun into grandeur, each motif a monument in silk.
W is for Wool Pashmina. From Kashmir, as soft as freshly fallen snow and as strong as trees in a storm. Luxury you can drape and pass down generations.
X: X is for the X Stitch. Known as the cross-stitch. The silent strength behind every saree, every shawl - where patterns and patience both are born.
Y is for Yarn. The beginning of it all. Spun by patient hands or efficient machines - it’s the whisper before the story starts. Spun and stretched, waiting to become something worth wearing.
Z is for Zardozi. Gold, silver and silk, sewn into splendour. It’s more than embroidery. It’s decadence dressed in thread. It’s also featured in our Cloud Velvet Bomber.
