Kasab zari revival: How designer Monica Shah is reimagining a vanishing Mughal craft

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A signifier  of zardozi work, kasab, kasav oregon  kasab-zari uses good  gold, metallic  oregon  copper-wrapped threads stitched implicit    itself with an Aari needle.

A signifier of zardozi work, kasab, kasav or kasab-zari uses good gold, metallic oregon copper-wrapped threads stitched implicit itself with an Aari needle. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Last year, connected a nondescript day, luxury manner brand Jade by Monica and Karishma’s Monica Shah recovered herself admiring a jacket. It was among the global textile house Chanakya International’s extended archive of implicit 10,000 humanities textiles and much than 100,000 trade explorations. “The vintage overgarment was 1 of the pieces Karishma and I collected during our travels crossed the world,” she says. The jacket, made from axenic metallic taar for an erstwhile child, was a remnant of the Mughal rule. This period marks 500 years from the First Battle of Panipat (1526), which led to the constitution of the Mughal reign nether Babur successful India. Shah says, “What I discovered was that the overgarment had nary basal fabric!” It seemed similar its metallic ammunition was woven into the aerial itself. This led her connected a sartorial escapade — tracing the past of the trade of kasab — lone to realise that lone a fewer maestro craftspeople who tin execute this intricate embroidery method beryllium today.

Originating successful Persia, the precious metal-coated silk utilized successful this fabric-less trade was introduced to India by the Mughal Empire successful astir the precocious 16th century. A signifier of zardozi work, kasab, kasav oregon kasab-zari uses good gold, metallic oregon copper-wrapped threads that are couched and stitched implicit itself with an Aari needle to make a superb effect. “Every clip the plan oregon motif takes a caller direction,” explains Shah, “one has to use a method called madkan, simply put, an enactment of knotting the thread truthful it doesn’t travel undone, which takes important expertise.” Every floral petal, oregon delicate paisley curve, is knotted and secured passim to guarantee it doesn’t fray implicit generations. “It’s similar however the warp and weft clasp each other; these knots make the skeleton since determination is nary basal cloth to trust on.”

Published - May 02, 2026 07:30 americium IST

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