Our kaarigars, which specialize in aari hook-needle embroidery, spend anywhere from one-hundred to three-hundred hours per dress, depending on the style of the design. A dedicated team of four to eight artisans painstakingly works to bring each dress to life, ensuring that every stitch reflects the cultural heritage from which it was born.

Aari embroidery traces its origins to the Kutch region of Gujarat, India, where it has been practiced for over five hundred years, with popularity gaining traction during the Mughal period in the 16th century. This form of chain stitch embroidery was traditionally executed by Mochis, a caste of shoe cobblers, who transformed their skill with leather into an intricate art form on fabric, thereby providing them a critical opportunity for class mobility.

The process itself involves using an Aari, a small hook-like needle, to create delicate, flowing patterns of chain stitches. Initially used for embellishing leather goods, this technique soon became a favored art form in royal courts, particularly among the Jadeja rulers of Kutch in the 19th century. These rulers commissioned the finest Aari embroidery—often executed on gaji silk imported from China—to be worn by royalty and elite families.

Although Aari embroidery was intricately tied to royal patronage, it was not always regarded as a high-status art like Zari. In fact, it was often considered a craft for more utilitarian purposes, worn during daily life or for informal occasions. The garments created using Aari embroidery were typically not reserved for grand events but were instead seen as functional yet beautiful pieces for everyday wear. Over time, the delicate craftsmanship of Aari embroidery became more recognized, gradually transitioning from its humble origins to a coveted skill that defined the luxury of South Asian couture.

Aari workers received exceptional patronage during the times of the Mughals, and later, during the era of Nawab feudal lords. After Partition, many Nawabs and the Aari workers that worked in their ateliers migrated to what is today Pakistan. Today, Lahore stands as a stronghold for both Aari and Zari embroidery in the Subcontinent. Migration history is at the root of this living artform.

In contrast to the machine made apparel we now often encounter in both India and Pakistan, Aari embroidery represents a luxury rooted in time, place, and craft. Luxury has never been about possession, but rather an expression of our tastes, our cultural identity, and our relationship with art–as well as our relationship with ourselves.

Our cultural heritage is tied closely to that of the laboring class of the Subcontinent, the class that carries our history and our art in their hands. If it is within our means, it is our responsibility to serve as patrons of our craft community.