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Qudsia
Imagine a stunning canvas of orange, green, pink, and yellow, brought to life in silhouettes just right for taking a little twirl, crafted in the most comfortable cotton mul, and elevated with an attention grabbing crinkle-effect, splendidly lined with hints of gota. Jaypore’s freshest edit of kalidar kurtas, churidars and dupattas is the culmination of…
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Suhaana
When the searing sun threatens to play spoilsport, nothing is quite as refreshing as a tall, ice-cold beverage, in a sub-zero oasis Jaypore’s newest edit of naturally-dyed, hand-spun, handloom cotton separates are the sartorial equivalent of a cold drink on a hot summer day. Sublime silhouettes, elevated with dainty hand-done zari-crochet and sequin-work promise to…
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A Beautiful Yarn: The last ply split braider’s journey from designer to artisan
With a lush ponytail and what seem like a dozen gold rings, Erroll Pires Nelson certainly has some serious style. At 6 feet 3 inches, he also towers over almost everyone. That persona evaporates the second he starts talking in his gentle, dulcet tone, telling the story of how he, an ex-National Institute of Design…
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Colors of the Earth: The Allure of Natural Dyes
In 1856, a 14-year old William Henry Perkin invented aniline purple or Mauve, while trying to synthesize Quinine from chemicals derived from coal tar. His little accident created a whole new industry of chemical dyes and put natural dyeing, one of mankind’s great achievements, on the list of endangered arts. Indigo blue, Tyrean purple, Madder…
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In a Qila
How Qilasaaz is effecting change in the lives of women artisans of Mahmudabad. The backbone of the erstwhile world of feudal privilege and opulence was always an invisible army of skilled craftsmen/women and artisans. They ensured a splendor and an aesthetic richness that was often breathtaking. Their efforts affected every aspect of life then and…
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Breathe New Life into your Home!
“I believe that trends must have the capacity to stay relevant for a long time; at least a few years, at any rate. Otherwise they are not worth the money and the trouble. Accessories of course, are the exception to the rule because that is the easiest way of updating a space and giving it…
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The Handmade Paper Trail: A Fascinating New Journey
Once upon a time, roughly in the late ’60s America, if you bought a dress and met with some post-purchase dissonance or dropped sauce all over the front, you could just tear it up. Because that particular dress was made of paper! In the 1920s London, one could buy a ‘Paper Suit’ for a tiny…
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Ajrakh Tales – Re-Contextualizing an Age Old Textile on the Contemporary Scene
The elegant symmetry of geometric patterns, the waltz of Indigo & madder dyes, and the minor imperfections that add to its allure… this is what forms the syntax of an ancient craft like Ajrakh. Like a skilled raconteur, the standard 3 meter length of an Ajrakh print tells tales of its invigorating history, the many…
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Mubarakpur Weaves a Success Story
When we talk of our commitment to revival of dying or languishing hand looms and handicrafts, we believe that change is happening, right now, right here and that it can only go up. Our confidence is based on many instances of craft revivals across the country; far reaching changes brought about by the collective efforts…
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Re-Worn: Getting a New life
A weaver sits on his loom patiently weaving ‘Khesh’ – a weaving technique that uses new yarn in the warp and strips slashed off old sarees in the weft. The weaver chooses these strips randomly off a pile sitting next to him; the result is a stunning piece of fabric where the colors of the…
Storytellers of Wonder 