But to those of you who haven’t heard our story, I started working with weavers at a grassroot level for our very first collection. The local craftsmen stood backstage with me for my first showcase at Lakme Fashion Week. They tell me they made more money in a year of working with me than they ever had in their lifetime. The more the brand grows, the more I am shocked at how the industry has been setup—due credit to those who help bring fabric alive is not practise and paying them bare minimum to up one’s profit margin is how the business is run. To me the fabric that takes shape as a sari, a Nova tunic or lovely blouse as important as the finished product.

Naturally there is a certain amount wastage that happens in the process of construction. Lovingly handwoven and embroidered by our craftsmen, we want to give these fabrics a second life once after a garment is cut. This season, we are introducing our line of upcycled fabric jewellery—that perfectly falls in line with our festive line. You can coordinate pieces from the Zari collection or simply pick up something that falls in line with your everyday wardrobe. Joy is the power of storytelling.