This World Artisan Day, we want to take a moment to pause.
To honour the hands that carry tradition forward, quietly and powerfully. To meet the faces behind the threadwork. To remind ourselves — and you — why craftsmanship is not just about technique, but about time, legacy, and the people who keep it alive.
The Hands Behind the Craft
Manirul is a craftsman in the truest sense of the word. His journey into karigari began early, learning under the watchful eye of his elder brother. What started as skill soon became intuition — a form of expression that moves straight from the heart to the hands.
Today, he works with a quiet confidence. His days are marked not by deadlines but by rhythm: chai breaks with fellow karigars and steady progress on intricate embroidery. Every stitch he places holds pride — not just in the garment, but in the legacy it continues.
“The quality that hands can create a machine can never match.” says Manirul.
Karigari, for him, has meant more than financial stability. It’s given him independence, a sense of purpose, and the rare joy of seeing something he’s created find a home in someone else’s life.
Then there are Anita and Saira — women who don’t just create beauty, but carry forward the often-overlooked history of women in craft. Sitting shoulder to shoulder, laughing as they work, they represent the deep sense of community that often thrives in spaces like these.
“She always makes me laugh,” says Saira, referring to Anita, who boldly responds, “My job is to make people laugh!”
For them, karigari isn’t just a means to an end — it’s how they build sisterhood, how they claim space, how they write their own stories. Historically, women have always been central to the story of Indian craft. From home workshops to informal collectives, they've passed down knowledge while raising families, managed creativity alongside care, and turned ordinary spaces into hubs of quiet brilliance.
What Handcrafted Really Means
At Sureena Chowdhri, we often say: handcrafted means human. It means choosing the process over pace. It means putting the person before the product.
Each silhouette is touched by someone’s hands, someone’s patience, someone’s years of practice. There is no machine that can replicate the texture of time, the nuance of hand embroidery, or the feel of fabric that’s been shaped slowly, thoughtfully.
When you wear something handcrafted, you’re not just wearing a piece of clothing. You’re wearing a moment of someone’s life.
Why We Celebrate World Artisan Day
World Artisan Day isn’t just a date on the calendar for us — it’s a reminder of why we do what we do.
In every campaign, every collection, we return to the same question: how do we honour the craft, without compromising the artisans behind it? It’s a question we sit with constantly. Because the truth is, behind every beautiful garment is a chain of people whose skill, time, and labour often go unseen. It’s our job — and privilege — to bring those stories forward.
This day is about visibility. Recognition. Respect. It’s about ensuring that the people behind our clothes are not just acknowledged, but celebrated — as artists, as carriers of culture, as storytellers in their own right.
Our Commitment
At the end of the day, fashion is fleeting. But craft? Craft endures.
So this World Artisan Day, we celebrate the hands that shape our work — the laughter in the studio, the stories told over chai, the dedication stitched into every garment. We celebrate the heart of our brand. The people who create, not just with their hands, but with everything they have.
To the artisans — thank you for making every piece feel like a piece of home.