CRAFT DROP 01: Restoring What We’re Losing to Speed

CRAFT DROP 01: Restoring What We’re Losing to Speed

Our chikankari projects started off with an idea to explore the native Awadhi embroidery on new textile bases, but it grew into something deeper every day with exposure to the local process of how it's made. What started with just one shirt for Vir Das at a single chikankari centre grew into an everyday trip to the narrow streets of Lucknow — streets that smelled of neel (indigo) and gond (gum), and echoed with the sounds of blocks and stamps on wooden takhats (platforms) covered with mulmul (fine cotton). Every trip to the chhapai (printing) centres led us to understand the depth of the process and how much history it holds — and it's true that chikankari slowly grew on us.

We then dug deeper and looked into archives, only to realise that so many beautiful blocks have been left stuck in the archives, covered in dust, because the stitches that follow the chhapai (printing) of those blocks are not considered 'fast enough'. We are losing a lot to speed — probably more than we can imagine.

That is where we began designing around the idea of restoration — of culture, of craft, and of stories that must be told again, perhaps in a new format that resonates with today.

We dug out one of the oldest blocks wrapped in dust and began working with it, starting what we now call our Culture Drops.

We were amazed to learn that a single piece we created had travelled through so many narrow streets of Old Lucknow and passed through the hands of so many artisans. It's incredible to note that chikankari is so detailed and precise that each stitch or technique is done by a particular identified group of women who specialise only in that specific stitch — and that one block on a shirt can showcase at least five chikankari techniques or stitches.

Every Salooka piece is made painstakingly, with precision and attention to detail, and stays true to the craft processes and culture of the cluster it belongs to. We make craft where it belongs and with the people it belongs to — so that one day, craft takes over again, and slow, well-made heirloom pieces reclaim their space in our wardrobes, allowing our craft clusters to flourish once more.

BARADARI SHIRT

Rs. 15,500.00
Rs. 15,500.00

LALBAGH SHIRT

Rs. 5,000.00
Rs. 5,000.00

SITARA SHIRT

Rs. 16,800.00
Rs. 16,800.00