Description

Chikankari is more than just embroidery; it is an age-old art form that originated in Lucknow during the Mughal era. It involves hand-stitching delicate and intricate floral and geometric patterns using fine cotton threads on lightweight fabrics such as muslin, chiffon, silk, and cotton. This traditional embroidery style, also called Lucknowi Chikan, is admired worldwide for its subtle beauty and the high level of craftsmanship it demands.
The process of making a Lucknowi Chikan kurti is labor-intensive and can take weeks to complete, depending on the complexity of the design. Skilled artisans use a combination of stitches like bakhiya (shadow work), phanda, and murri to create the distinctive patterns that make Chikankari kurtis so unique.