Cloud: Nakshi Kantha

Takdira Begum is an unassuming lady from a rural village in West Bengal who has been creating award winning nakshi kantha embroidery pieces for more than 40 years.

Married at 19, Takdira soon had three daughters, but longed to create something for herself. She decided to use the skill she had learned from her grandmother and mother in kantha embroidery. Together with the support of her husband, the wives in the community were encouraged to be trained and work with her, so revitalising the art form. This work fits comfortably between the womens’ expected, traditional role and their desire to work and earn an independent income. There are no time pressures on the workers; they collect the fabric from Takdira, take it home to work on in their own time, then drop it back when it’s finished.

Takdira’s working group now consists of over 100 women, her youngest daughter, Runa Laila is among them.

SHOP NAKSHI KANTHA > CLOUD

Upcycled Sari Kimonos

Our sari kimonos are made for us in a workshop on the outskirts of a peaceful rural village west of Kolkata. They are created by a lovely group of ladies who are part of a socio-economic group focusing on empowering women through income-generating activities. This enables them to earn a living for themselves and their families; some of them are widowed or were unmarried young women.

Each piece is completey unique, one-of-a-kind made from a pre-loved sari. I love the fact that they have had a former life. What stories could they tell?