Chikankari is not just any hand embroidery, it is a heritage embroidery that has managed to survive over many centuries. Its delicate finish is impeccable & makes it the most premium choice amidst all form of hand embroidery arts that exist on this planet.

Sadly, just like greedy consumerist approach kills art, this Art of Embroidery is also suffering a lot.

Currently Chikankari in Lucknow is divided into two broad categories – Regular & Luxury.

The luxury artisans are extremely few and are constantly declining. Their handiwork is breath taking, but also extremely expensive. While it is rightfully priced, it goes out of the reach of a regular patron & gets relegated to the Luxury Audience.

The regular artisans form the multitude of Chikankari Artisans. The practice of treating even Handmade Sectors like China Sweat Shop has reduced their caliber of handiwork from fine to midway to absolutely pathetic. Sorry to sound harsh, but that is true.

Gradually they are becoming unskilled & losing their touch with fine Chikankari work due to lack of practice. To cater to a fast consumer market they also work on poor quality mill fabric, thereby completely losing relevance.

They are still in demand because of the legacy of Chikankari as an exceptionally fine hand embroidery art. But what does future hold for them?

Meiraas works with both Luxury & Regular units, & our Instagram Photo Story shown below will trace our journey in our Conscious Efforts done in this field.

You can shop the collection from here