Are you tired of chasing trends and viral moments? If you’re a bride looking to create your own head-turning moment, stop scrolling and look back at your own heritage. The secret of what’ll makes you stand out is closer to home. Simply look at your mum and grandmum’s wedding trousseau for inspiration. While the silhouettes, cuts and colour palettes might have changed since then, the timeless craftsmanship is still relevant. Bridal-favourite designers today are looking back and embracing the art of the age-old crafts techniques that make your wedding looks truly unique.
One such exquisite form of embroidery, zardozi continues to be popular among today’s brides. This timeless craft that originated in Persia is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of South Asia. It found its way to the Indian subcontinent centuries ago, becoming an integral part of the region's rich textile traditions. The word ‘zardozi’ itself is derived from Persian, where “zar” means gold and “dozi” means embroidery, signifying its opulent nature. This intricate art involves sewing metallic threads, primarily gold or silver, onto fabric to create intricate patterns and designs. Historically, zardozi adorned the attire of royalty and nobility, symbolising wealth, status, and prestige.
Today, zardozi continues to hold cultural significance and exudes brilliance, while evolving to cater to the tastes and preferences of modern brides. In an effort to keep this craft alive, Divani, the renowned Delhi-based brand, is embracing heirloom traditions through the revival of zardozi.
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“The brand celebrates the sheer romance of existence through the revival of ancient, authentic, hand-crafted 'zardozi’. The roots of Divani honours the nostalgia and lingering beauty of ancient Awadh (Oudh) province. We work with over 500 adopted ‘zardozikars’ and master craftsmen, across Lucknow, Farrukbad, Kashi and the home of the brand, New Delhi. These artists, who reignite dormant imaginations and whimsical desires with the magic of their gold, silver and platinum zardozi, are harmonious personifications of the Divani’s ethos- celebrate Hindostan,” founder Sanya Dhir says. She adds, “It takes generations to preserve a craft and much sacrifice to continue a legacy.”
“We always wanted to create/restore heirlooms that can test the waters of time. A timeless ensemble that can be wore at various occasions and can be passed on to the generations. The brand advocates of slow living and looking back in time to take inspirations from our glorious past. For years, Divani has been working towards restoring and reviving the age-old craft of zardozi in an attempt to carry forward our cultural legacy.”
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“The collection features archival couture, handcrafted to perfection. From hundred-year-old restored ‘jamavars’ to grandmother’s ‘suchaa taar’ weave. From masterpieces recreated from the pre-partition era to silhouettes that got lost in the sands of time, this presentation by Divani is an in-depth study of the history of textiles and fashion of the much celebrated Indian subcontinent.” This year, the heritage couture collection also marked the launch of Divani’s couture collection for men featuring “antique jamavars and accessories such a sbatuas pankhi, topis and sehras.”
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