MASTERS OF THE CRAFT

PANKAJ & NIDHI

“The most valuable learning we have had from our karigars is of patience: from observing their immense diligence in creating our pieces, some of which take around 300 to 400 hours of painstaking crafstmanship. They have dedicated their life to perfecting their craft, mastered over many years of practice, and they take great pride in their work. Our karigars are creative artists, just like we are, and we are equally in pursuit of perfecting our craft. Many of them have been a part of our team since the label’s inception, and we have forged a wonderful collaboration.

The relationship we share with each other is one of bonhomie, mutual love, and respect. They have a great desire to contribute, to be a part of the creative process. Pankaj and I interact with them with utmost respect, and we have always been aware of the fact that when you treat them with respect and give them their due, they give back to you 10 times over.

We used to be a bigger family pre-Covid, but some of our artisans haven’t returned from their villages and rejoined as yet. The entire Pankaj & Nidhi family comprises around a hundred people, who work under one roof at our studio in Noida.

Our brand is known for its appliqué work, which we create by hand: our s use tiny scissors to create the flowers and petals on each beautiful, graded outfit. They are skilled at cutting tiny shapes. Others are masters at draping, while some work with and stitches. They all have diverse talents, and that is what you need to create a great collection.”