Travel has always been a major inspiration, and my trip to India this past January was no exception. Working closely with the artisans I partner with is always one of the highlights of my visits, and during a trip to Delhi, my partners there, Sakshi and Anshuman, took me to a new artisan market.
The Kunj is a government-run artisan mall featuring the work of makers from all over India. While I was there, I came across these incredible hand-drawn illustrations and bought a few as gifts and sources of inspiration.
I had been wanting to develop some new suzani embroideries, and the beautiful illustratons proved to be the perfect starting point.
Suzani is a chain-stitch embroidery that we apply to vintage kantha quilts. We use quilts that are plainer in tone, allowing the embroidery to add artistry, character, and contrast.
Designing custom embroideries has become one of my favourite parts of the creative process. I love the joyful, graphic motifs, and I'm so excited about how this collection of suzani jacket turned out.
