The field of embroidery has been a largely male-dominated sector, but not anymore. Thanks to the homegrown label I Was A Sari and fashion giant Gucci’s empowering initiative, women can now learn the skill and be a part of the workforce. The recently launched digital embroidery training program, Now I Can, aims to equip women… Continue reading Gucci X I Was A Sari’s Digital Learning Programme Will Help Women Join The Workforce
Crystazine Embroidery Studio houses a wide range under one roof, from weightless jewellery crafted out of hand-work to embellished accessories and home decor items like monogrammed pillows, and uniquely conceptualised frames. Even though the idea behind the studio is different in itself, it’s the homegrown label’s conscious sustainability practices like up-cycling, recycling and reusing waste… Continue reading Meet The Homegrown Label Giving A Fresh Lease Of Life To Fashion Waste
Kantha’s homespun charm, characterised by the humble running stitch, can be traced back to the rural women of Bengal. Practical, austere and often celebratory—Kantha, in India is a textile tradition that first appeared in the 18th-19th century. This embroidery technique has strong links to Hindu mythology (it was found in Krishnadas Kaviraj’s 500-year-old book Chaitanya… Continue reading All about the textile tradition Kantha, and the labels that are keeping it alive
I have no deeper connection to the Kalhath Institute in Lucknow, than the airline ticket that got me there, and yet I find myself frequently thinking about the distinguished Art Deco building from 1932, committed to the recognition, promotion and sustenance of craft excellence in India. This period edifice was restored and enlarged, to be… Continue reading Inside Maximiliano Modesti’s Lucknow school for Indian artisans
Dressed in the new Gucci X Dapper Dan capsule collection — statement leather, ostentatious embroidery and oversized silhouettes — eight South Asian artistes discuss creative expression in turbulent times and the importance of staying true to yourself. This rings especially true when faced with crisis, as rapper Himanshu Suri discovered in the aftermath of 9/11. “I was surrounded by a lot of… Continue reading 8 South Asian artistes who are changing the way the West looks at desi culture
Some people might not describe their stretch marks as beautiful, but these women are proving that they can be turned into gorgeous works of art. Sara Shakeel added glitter to stretch marks in a beautiful display of empowering art, Cinta Tort Cartró turned stretch marks into beautiful rainbows, and now artist Sally Hewett has incorporated… Continue reading Embroidery artist creates work that embraces stretch marks, scars and body hair
