How Vikram Goyal And 55 Designers Dressed 100 Elephants In Honour Of Indigenous Craft

Easily of of the cutest and most adorable species in the animal kingdom, elephants have a lot to them than meets the eye. They're actually more empathetic than half humans I know. Enter Vikram Goyal, a master curator whose belief in a bigger cause is melding animal convservation efforts with textile preservation and appreciation. He doesn’t do decoration—he does storytelling. And with Wrapped in History, the celebrated designer and longtime Patron of Elephant Family has pulled together a global tapestry of meaning, memory and material.

Curated as the final artistic chapter of The Great Elephant Migration, this striking project sees 100 life-sized elephant sculptures draped in ceremonial blankets designed by 55 artists, brands and Indigenous communities—including Ralph Lauren, Elie Saab, Sabyasachi, Lovebirds and more. Each piece reflects a centuries-old tradition of gifting blankets at the end of a journey, symbolising respect, protection and completion. Part art, part activism, the blankets will be auctioned online in support of global conservation. We spoke to Vikram about collective craft, cultural memory, and what it means to wrap history, 'literally', around an elephant.

ELLE: Wrapped in History is such an evocative title. What did it come to represent for you, emotionally and creatively?

Vikram Goyal (VG): For me, Wrapped in History came to symbolise a convergence of time, memory, and meaning. Emotionally, it evokes reverence for the cultures that see blankets as sacred vessels, and for the elephants themselves, who carry millennia of coexistence with humans. Creatively, it was about weaving past and present into a singular narrative. Blankets have long served as storytelling tools, preserving and transmitting cultural narratives from one generation to another. The artistry and craftsmanship that go into creating these narrative blankets make them not only functional but also captivating works of art. Each blanket became a canvas for storytelling, connecting ancestral knowledge with contemporary voices.

ELLE: With over 70 blankets by 55 makers, how did you ensure the project felt cohesive while honouring such diverse voices?

VG: The unifying thread was the intention. The curation of over 70 blankets involved collaborating with designers and indigenous communities in India and globally. Whether the blanket came from a fashion house, an indigenous collective, or a contemporary designer, each contribution was made in the spirit of ceremony and memory. Inspired by indigenous communities around the world where blankets hold profound significance, the curation represents a connection to ancestors, the land, and our animal relatives telling stories of identity, culture and spiritual beliefs.

ELLE: How do you balance the ceremonial and the commercial—particularly with these blankets going to auction?

VG: By placing ceremony at the core of the project. The auction is not a commercial transaction in the usual sense, it is more of an extension of the ritual, a way to turn beauty and meaning into tangible support for conservation. The value of each blanket lies not just in its design but in the stories it tells and the futures it supports. That transforms the auction into a gesture of solidarity. 

ELLE: You often speak of design as a dialogue between past and present. How did that play out across this global collaboration?

VG: This project is perhaps the clearest embodiment of that dialogue. We had makers from all over the world, many rooted in ancestral craft traditions responding to a contemporary call for coexistence. By honouring traditional techniques while addressing a modern ecological crisis, the blankets became bridges across time, geography, and culture.

ELLE: What lessons from your long-standing work with Indian artisans shaped your approach to this project?

VG: Decades of working with Indian artisans taught me that craft is not merely decorative, it is devotional, intellectual, and intergenerational. That understanding shaped every aspect of Wrapped in History, from the choice of collaborators to how we framed the ceremonial unveiling. It reinforced my belief that design must be in dialogue with community and context.

Participating Designers On The Exhibit:

Sanjay Garg, Raw Mango

The elephant is the biggest mammal that walks the earth, it is worshiped across religions, it has been an object of fascination for and alongside royalty. Our relationship with it is multifaceted and deeply layered. To find peaceful coexistence with them is to return to indigenous knowledge. Our brocade blanket features a dual-form, part-human and part-animal, speaking to a symbiotic relationship within a shared ecosystem. 

Richa Maheshwari, Boito

One of the main reasons Boito exists is to instill pride back into artisan communities, so the next generation may continue their craft. ‘Wrapped in History’ allowed us to see that pride take root and flourish across every cluster involved. From Pipli artisans stitching slippery silk to tie-dye masters scaling motifs with precision, each one pushed boundaries with grace. At the center stands the matriarch elephant. On her back, she carries the stylised feet of Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, leading the way with strength and grace. To watch our traditions cross borders—both in geography and imagination—was deeply moving.

Masaba Gupta

For as long as I can remember, animals have spoken to a quiet part of my soul—a place drawn to purity, resilience, and a deep harmony with nature. The elephant, especially, embodies this for me: gentle yet strong, wise yet playful. So when I was invited to be part of The Great Elephant Migration, it felt like a chance to merge my worlds—craft, culture, and compassion. This calf blanket is a love letter. To my daughter, who reminds me why we must protect what’s wild and free. And to my mother, who raised me with a fierce, rooted love for nature and tradition. Woven from raw, handspun fabric and hand-embroidered with fables from the Panchatantra, this piece draws from India’s rich storytelling and textile legacies. These animal tales—my first introduction to morals and meaning—come alive through intricate details and familiar House of Masaba motifs, reimagined to reflect playfulness, identity, and strength.

Amit Aggarwal

Collaborating with The Elephant Family has been a deeply meaningful experience. Designing these elephant blankets allowed us to merge our signature design language with the rich symbolism of these majestic animals. Each piece was crafted with the intention to celebrate the spirit of wildlife while supporting its preservation. It’s an honour to know that our creative process can contribute to a cause as vital as animal welfare. 

Ritu Kumar

In safeguarding India’s age old tradition we have created a special blanket for this journey which unites the preservation of culture and protection of wildlife. This blanket is also conveying India’s aesthetics and reflects its age old tradition of cotton painted and printed textiles. This also reflects India’s kanaats which were used in rented accommodation, palaces. This blanket is hand embroidered with ari, zarodosi and kashida accented with gold Dori , Mica mirrors and antique mental sequins. The reverse features printed linings in the bandej traditions with ornate tassels in silver and gold. Over 2,000 hours of artisanal mastery have gone into the making of this singular creation—a tribute to tradition, craftsmanship, and the spirit of shared preservation.

Aneeth Arora, p é r o

The sense of community and belonging is at the core of everything that we do at p é r o, every season, every creation is realized with our own herd , our community of creators, weavers, artists, and designers who come together to reimagine and create. For the Great Migration project our designs centred around the message of co-existence, respect, and love that is essential from humans towards these great animals whom we share the earth with.

Shani Himanshu, 11:11 Clothing

The improvisational approach made for the great elephant migration is made in collaboration with Robert Young, an artist based out of the Caribbean islands in Trinidad and Tobago. 11.11/eleven.eleven take on the improvisational approach with its reclaimed fabrics, is a celebration of India's indigenous practices. Through this collaboration of techniques, a family of nine unique quilts were born, sewn with traditional Kantha needlework by women of the Rabari tribe in Kachchh.