14/100 – Maharani Series – Of Indira Devi, Marsala Lips & Kashmiri Sozni

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This look is inspired by a resplendent portrait of Maharani of Cooch Behar, Indira Devi – mother to Gayatri Devi. A passionate, fierce and unstoppable woman, with an immensely interesting life story narrated later in this post. AIn her portrait we find a glimmering tissue blouse, three tiered pearls and a sheer saree creating a classically royal look which was quite the favorite among the globe-trotting Maharanis of Cooch Behar. Bare face, dark lips and natural beauty are a quintessential … Read Full

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2/100 – Traditional Chikankari Saree, Stitches & More

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A drape from my mother’s closet, this delicate white on black features lucknowi chikankari work – how beautiful a process to imagine, that these delicate motifs were worked on at the back of the sheer georgette to reveal the design on the front face of the fabric with absolute finesse. Here’s a closer look at the detail and stitches used;

I’m going to be talking about two traditional chikan work stitch styles seen in this saree, so here goes…

  1. Jali
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The Jean Project: Sashiko!

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Upcycled fashion is a chic, easy and significant step towards reducing the humongous tonnes of waste generated by the fashion industry every year. This series of posts titled “The Jean Project” captures different DIY projects to revamp denims and up their style quotient, saving a trip to the mall for yet another pair!

Experimenting with ripped denims this week, I mend the done-to-death gaping holes in my jeans with a fun spin on an ancient Japanese embroidery technique called Sashiko… Read Full

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Summer Staples – Shibori, Batik, and other Handcrafted Tales

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With temperatures soaring, it’s time to create an all new summer wardrobe, replete with summer staples in light, breathe-easy and beautifully handcrafted textiles! Hand dyed cotton textiles that undergo traditional processes like mud or wax resist printing/block printing- such as batiks, indigo prints and kalamkaris- are usually incredibly soft, light and comfortable due to repeated washing involved in every stage of the handcrafted printing process.

Left, Ochre and Brown Batik – The making of a batik fabric involves spreading a … Read Full

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Five Days of Handcrafted Chic

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Stoles are the easiest way to incorporate handcrafted textiles into your daily wardrobe if going all-the-way traditional is not your thing. A series of daily outfit details from my internship at Please Touch The Handloom Experience at Artisans’ Kalaghoda.

Wearing handcrafted and handloom textiles is so much more than just Indian-ized styling. It’s promoting and preserving a craft heritage spanning centuries, it’s empowering artisans, weavers and craftsmen from the remotest corners of the country, it’s protecting a glorious culture and … Read Full

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Artisanal Impressions

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Stumbling upon a quaint little handicraft shop on the streets of Bhuj outside the resort, my friends and I had the fortune of witnessing a beautiful array of handcrafted embroidery samples spanning years of work – all belonging to an immensely talented and generous lady, Hira Baa.

Offering a glimpse of her personal samples and sharing folklore of the numerous tribes that practice embroidery in Kutch, Hira Baa described how each tribal community in Kutch retains their unique identity and … Read Full

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