Besides admiring the artistic craftsmanship and creative nuances, what comes to mind when we think of Gara and Zardozi- too expensive and rare, right?. Meet sisters and designer duo- Kainaz and Firoza who are not just reviving the historic craft but making them accessible to the millennials- who are so inclined towards western brands.
Article by Rishabh Deb | TNN
Each design is special
Kainaz and Firoza’s endeavour Jophiel has breathed life into Parsi Gara embroidery, zardozi and beadwork, which are centuries – old soulful art forms with heavy influences from Persian, Chinese and Indian cultures.
The main stitches that are all intricately entwined are satin stitch, crewel stitch, stem stitch and French knot. Geometric designs are rarely used and most patterns are influenced by scenes and stories of Chinese origin, such as the bridges, pagodas, boatmen and shrines. The colours comprise of two shades. The base fabric is generally darker with ivory thread work or a pastel-coloured textile is embroidered with multicoloured threads.
What is Parsi Gara?
The Parsi Gara, in a nutshell, is three things. Indian embroidery with a Persian heritage and a Chinese origin. The Parsi embroidery can be traced back to 650 AD where Persian women undertook the Indian style of clothing.
Parsi Gara work is an emblem of style and elegance, one of the finest and most under-celebrated styles of embroideries to emerge from the homeland.
Made with a generous dose of artisanal love, each unique item promises to be a bold personal statement of regal style and exclusivity using heritage timeless embroidery forms of Parsi Gara and Zardozi to deliver designs that are truly from another realm.
Supporting the art and artisans
The initiative has empowered artisans to keep their work alive. What is being considered a forgot art is coming back to the mainstream by Kainaz and Firoza.
The initiative also endeavours to encourage the artisans of this craft. It aspires to be a beacon of the women entrepreneurship spirit and supports the fight against pediatric cancer as a social cause and have tied up with the Cuddles Foundation that nurtures this cause (by pledging a portion of our earnings).
Bollywood actors get vocal
To support the initiative, Perizaad Zorabian, Nauheed Cyrusi, Swimming Champion Maana Patel, Dalip Tahil, Zeba Kohli, Sandip Soparrkar, Tanaaz and Bakhtiar Irani, Anurag Chauhan, Khushnum Buhariwala, Benafsha Soonawala, model Anushree Sardesai and Shaurya Pratap Singh who have modelled to support and revive the art form.
