After years of chasing fleeting Gen Z trends, fashion seems to be circling back to where it all began — vintage and timeless classics. Across social media, young people are raiding their mothers’ and grandmothers’ closets, recreating iconic looks, and in the process, rediscovering age-old crafts. This revival isn’t just about style; it’s about reconnecting with roots, honouring artisans, and celebrating the legacy woven into every thread.
It was in this spirit that the Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO) hosted ‘Conscious Weaves and Wisdom’ at Park Hyatt, Banjara Hills. The event brought artisans, entrepreneurs, and customers onto a single platform, creating a dialogue between tradition and modernity, and spotlighting India’s living textile heritage.
Among the featured artisans were Abdulvahab and Haiderali Khatri, third-generation Bandhani creators from Bhuj, whose brand Mufassal reimagines the age-old tie-and-dye craft for a contemporary world. Also present was Navya Sachdeva, founder & managing partner of Saugaat Chikankaari, a brand dedicated to reviving the delicate Awadhi art of Chikankari embroidery while championing sustainable practices.
The conversations were as textured as the fabrics themselves. Jointly moderated by Pallavi Jain, chairperson of YFLO, and Saachi Bahl, founder of SAAHRA, the session explored the joys, struggles, and future of traditional crafts in a fast-paced, tech-driven world.
For Abdulvahab, Bandhani is more than a family legacy — it’s a living language of knots, folds, and colours. He shares, “My grandfather began Bandhani in 1973. Since then, my father, my brother, and I have carried it forward. These crafts are slow, labor-intensive processes — sometimes taking six months and involving dozens of women artisans. Yet their uniqueness lies in what cannot be copied. Every fold, every knot, every stitch carries a story.”
Speaking of modern challenges, he reflected on the double-edged sword of technology: “AI and online markets bring both opportunities and challenges. Designs get copied, but the soul of these crafts cannot be replicated. Tradition never fades. Our responsibility is to connect the younger generation back to these roots. Globalisation has opened the world to us, but our duty remains — to keep these arts alive and ensure artisans get their due.”
For Navya Sachdeva, Chikankari embodies community as much as craft. “When something is handcrafted, it carries multiple layers of identity. In chikankari, more than ten women may work on a single piece for months. Each hand leaves its essence in the fabric. Beyond beauty, these crafts provide livelihood and identity to artisans. That’s what makes them irreplaceable,” she notes.
On sustainability, she noted a positive shift: “A few years ago, sustainability felt far-fetched. Today, people are curious, willing to invest, and eager to know how crafts are made. This change gives us hope that artisans will get fairer pay and the respect they deserve.”
Navya was clear-eyed about the challenges, too: “The younger generation of artisans doesn’t see glory in the craft anymore — it often feels like a compulsion. That will only change if artisans receive fair compensation and recognition for their extraordinary skills. At Saugaat, demand is high, especially in bridal wear, but supply is limited because there simply aren’t enough artisans. If more return to the craft, it could secure livelihoods and a brighter future for their families.”
Both artisans and entrepreneurs believed that while technology might change how we connect with crafts, the human touch, the patience, the pride, the imperfections that make every piece unique; cannot be replaced.