There’s something inherently nuanced about hand embroidery. It takes a multitude of attempts to get it just right – the subtle interplay of textile color, Zari shade, and the karigar’s skilled hands. But it’s precisely this process that lends hand embroidery its quiet elegance. We’ve come to regard it as a meditative pursuit, one that distills the essence of creativity into deliberate, thoughtful stitches. It’s come to be a big part of The Open Form for this exact reason.

Aari embroidery traces its roots back to the Mughal courts, where it was used to adorn royal garments and ceremonial textiles. Traditionally practiced with a hooked needle called an "aari," the technique involves creating fine, chain-stitched motifs, often using silk threads, beads, or metallic Zari. Its legacy has been preserved and passed down by generations of artisans, particularly in regions like Kashmir, Lucknow, and Kutch—each lending the craft a distinct visual language.

What draws us to Aari is not just its ornate surface, but the story it carries. It’s a technique that has long balanced opulence with restraint, discipline with creative impulse. At The Open Form, we lean into that balance—honoring the hand behind each stitch, the slowness of the process, and the quiet confidence of work made with intention.