Celebrities to shine at Umair's Lucknowi Chikankari launch

24 Feb '14

3 min read

At least 4-5 Bollywood actors including Rituparna Sengupta and Purab Kohli will add to the glam component and help designer Umair Zafar promote the art of Lucknowi Chikankari to a discerning and elite audience at the M B Club at Lucknow on 1st March 2014.

Speaking to content agency Newz66.com, Umair Zafar says, "Almost everyone even remotely connected with garments, apparel and fashion has heard of chikankari.

But how many people know that there are over 40 types of hand stitches involved in chikankari embroidery work. How many people know that one embroider working almost 18 hours a day takes over a week and more to complete a single garment. We want to showcase and present the efforts involved in preparing such a collection."

The collection is made out of 20 different fabric materials, several accessories and comprises of about 1200 outfits totally valued at Rs 1.5 crore - something that the Indian fashion industry should be proud of.

These outfits - which have provided employment to almost 250 embroiders in Mumbai and Lucknow, will be on display at a glitzy fashion event in Lucknow - the home of chikankari at the launch of Umair Zafar’s Summer Collection 2014. And thanks to Umair Zafar the dying art of traditional Chikankari will be showcased to an international audience with at least 3 international TV channels covering the fashion event live.

Chikankari is delicate and artfully done hand embroidery on a variety of textile fabrics like muslin, silk, chiffon, organza, net etc. White thread is embroidered on cool, pastel shades of light muslin and cotton garments. These days chikan embroidery is also done with coloured and silk threads in different colours to sync with recent fashion trends and keep chikankari trendy with changing fashion and fabric.

Lucknow is the heart of the Chikankari industry today and the variety is known as Lucknawi chikan. The stich-work includes the following types of stitches - Tepchi, Bakhiya, Hool, Zanzeera, Rahet, Banarsi, Khatau, Phanda, Murri, Jali, Turpai, Darzdari, Pechani, Bijli, Ghaspatti, Makra, Kauri, Hathkadi, Banjkali, Sazi, Karan, Kapkapi, Madrazi, Bulbul-chasm, Taj Mahal, Janjeera, Kangan, Dhania-patti, Rozan, Meharki, Chanapatti, Baalda, Jora, Keel kangan, Bulbul, Sidhaul, Ghas-ki-patti and a few others.

Mumbai-based fashion designer Umair Zafar who originally hails from Lucknow and has been promoting Lucknowi Art and Craft will bring Lucknow Chikankari to an international audience in association with Sigma Rock Infra the patrons of Project Chikankari.

Designer Umair Zafar has done an in-depth research and study on Lucknowi Chikankari and its various forms of stitches. In order to promote the art, he will be showcasing a premium range of chikankari work with an amalgamation of different fabrics, mix and match with various other embroideries and fabrics like muslin, brocade and silk along with Swarovski crystals. The collection will be in different colors, ranges and sizes to suit all body types, which is rarely found in traditional chikankari work.

Umair Zafar

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