Khinkhwab Diaries

Safavid silk, the Ardabil Carpet and the boteh that became the paisley — the crafts of Iran, and why half the vocabulary of a Banaras loom is Persian.

Bukhara gold embroidery, Margilan cloud-tied silk and the suzani — the crafts of Uzbekistan, and the road that carried them all the way to Banaras.

Nasrid silk, lustre tiles and Toledo gold — the crafts of Spain, from the looms of the Alhambra to the court that Velázquez and Goya painted.

Hereke carpets, İznik tiles and Ottoman silk — the imperial crafts of Turkey, where loom and kiln reached courtly perfection.

Murano glass, Florentine leather and Venetian silk — the workshops and centuries-old crafts that made Italy a byword for beautiful things.

Brocade from Versailles to the runway — the silk-weaving city of Lyon, and how French craft and the great fashion houses carried gold cloth into modern style.

Nishijin brocade, deep indigo and the art of repair — Japan's textile crafts and the philosophy of mending that turns wear into beauty.

Silk, cloud brocade and porcelain — the crafts that gave the world its very word for fine cloth, from the looms of Nanjing to the kilns of Jingdezhen.

The gold-threaded songket, the ikats of the islands and the other glowing weaves of South-East Asia — and where they meet the Banarasi tradition.

A region-by-region map of India's needle arts — chikankari, phulkari, kantha, kasuti, zardozi and more, and the places that gave them their names.

A whirlwind tour of India's saris — one signature weave from every region, from Kanjivaram and Paithani to Jamdani, Patola and beyond.

What to wear to a mehendi: the freshest Banarasi colours — greens, off-whites with green borders and lively rangkat — with three pieces from our Mehendi Collection and styling tips.