The inspiration:
Seeing the appreciation for the Alia Henna Tattoo Gloves, I was inspired to create another South Asian influenced design; this time, honoring the intricate artistry of Chikankari embroidery through a fully fashioned sweater. Chikankari is a centuries old embroidery tradition from Lucknow, India, renowned for its intricate hand stitched designs on fine fabrics like muslin, cotton, and silk. For the Meera sweater, I reimagined Chikankari’s delicate patterns through knitwear, translating its signature embroidery into textured and lace like stitches. To showcase the delicate shadow work traditional to Chikankari, I selected a soft white pattern color over a heather grey ground color for the color combination.
Product Validation:
Before the prototyping process, I turned to the SaaRii community to validate the concept and was encouraged after their enthusiastic feedback. After 25 years in the New York fashion industry, designing sweaters without ever having the opportunity to infuse my Indian culture, I was excited to create my first heritage art inspired sweater!
The Manufacturing Process:
The Meera sweater is totally different from a regular sweatshirt. Since many people use these terms interchangeably without knowing their technical distinctions, here is a brief explanation of the differences.
A sweatshirt is typically cut and sewn from pre-made fabric, often fleece backed cotton or a cotton blend knit. It consists of stitched together panels with ribbed trims.
In contrast, the Meera sweater is a fully fashioned knit, meaning each panel - body, sleeves, and trims - is knitted precisely to shape before being linked together. This technique reduces fabric waste and results in a more refined fit. Furthermore, the Meera sweater is double knit on specialized machines that work with two yarns simultaneously, interlocking both sides of the fabric. The result is a reversible sweater that seamlessly merges the timeless grace of Chikankari with modern comfort -honoring heritage in a whole new way.
I truly hope this gives you a deeper appreciation for the thought, design and craftsmanship behind the Meera Chikankari reversible sweater.
Xo,
Sujata