Usually in our blog posts, I often talk about the multitude of cultural inspirations, that have purposely or inadvertently shaped the ethos of Chikankari embroidery from the city of Lucknow, within Awadh.

This Blog Post, however, will focus on how slow, purposeful travel within Bharat, shaped our thought process, that has translated into the World of Meiraas we have created.

Breathe is an extension of the reveries collected in our multiple sojourns to the mountains, sea beaches, small villages laced with stories of fables and antiquities.

Let me start by elaborating the core thought behind BREATHE, within the ambit of Dopehri Edit.

Dopehri was conceptualised by us in 2018, and saw its first mood board shoot in 2020 summer.

Dopehri is a colloquial term for Afternoon in old world Lucknow parlance. While this period is mostly lost in the chaos of metropolises, where life is divided into first half and second half, it gets a whole new face & shape in smaller cities, like, Lucknow.

Dopehri is a prized time period in Lucknow; its other loved cousin is Baithak time (Tea Time at roughly 5pm).

The very fact that these time zones are held dear in the city even today, demonstrate the unapologetic slow living of the historic city.

Dopehri is a Pause.

A potent pause in the day, when you wish to cease working, take a break, relax, rejuvenate and prepare for Baithak at 5! Its slow living at its most nectarine self.

This is reflected in our Dopehri Edit. The designs have a relaxed vibe, with heritage imbued via embroidery on soft handwoven cottons.

BREATHE, however goes a step ahead.

Breathe is a purposeful time out, and not just a pause! It is that old world, charming vacation in Nainital, that we undertook as children in the 1980s, where we chit chatted as family with local populace for the first time.

That 1 month in Almora, that we took in the 1990s, with extended family, and learnt local culture, traditions, vegetation and cuisines.

It is those 2 weeks in Goa, where we unwound on beaches, unbothered by covering the maximum, that was the norm in 1990s.

A time out that is not taken as part of FOMO; but a time out taken to BREATHE.

A time out that is not a mandatory holiday to show; but a culturally immersive experience that enriches the soul, and comes back with us, in form of applicable experiences.

Since 2007, Brijesh and I have invested our time and effort in undertaking immersive travel through our country, mostly via roads.

Local art, culture, customs, ecology, seasons, rituals and cuisines, have been our investment into evolving our own thought process.

Meiraas itself was born out of one such trip in Binsar forest.

This was a time when I was encumbered with a lot of what ifs. The fear of the unknown was binding me down from taking the decision to quit my corporate job, and start Meiraas; until I met this one gentleman running a dhaba in a village in Binsar.

He was like a soothsayer to my troubled mind. His words helped me BREATHE with a resolve.

In him, I found wisdom, that I couldn’t get in the fanciest skyrises and glass palaces, in the city.

This is, however, just one part of the many inspirations that have shaped BREATHE as a collective for us.

The 15 day road trip and stay in Sangla, that gave birth to Himalayan Edelweiss, Arrowleaf and Dandelion Chikankari Linen tunics.

They celebrate rare, medicinal flowers that provide that pop of colour, adding so much character, to the ecological tapestry of the mountains.

The unplanned burst of white wildflowers against lush green, that we discover joyfully in our slow walks through the villages. One walk in the Nagini village of Gushaini, shaped The April Dress moodboard.

The Coral Reef dress was a result of colour play of coral & turquoise, that we witnessed in our beach holidays in Goa.

All shirts of Breathe in Advait Men’s collection, were a reflection of this relaxed, immersive vibe.

The Falling leaves concept that celebrates Nature.

The Moss concept that merges forest with Man.

Or, the Archway concept that explores antiquity of our ancient kingdoms.

These expressions have been found and carried out via the finest Chikankari embroidery at our atelier.

Breathe will now be a regular addition to Dopehri, alongside what we explore in the latter, in terms of design evolution; the latest being 3D Chikankari

Breathe is a mood board forged by soft, fire side conversations; long purpose less drives that explore the subtleties of life.

It is a reflection of reaching out to understand a life outside of our comfort zone, instead of escaping for a few days.

DOPEHRI IS A PAUSE

BREATHE IS THE PURPOSE.

This blog post is authored by the co-founder of Meiraas, Vidhi Rastogi. All images used in the post belong to Meiraas as part of original archives. The views expressed in the blog are designer's own.