Mumbai-based embroidery atelier Chanakya International has been working with the world's most famous fashion houses for the past 40 years. The zardozi embroidery on a Dior dress, the T-strap leather sandals at a Prada show, the mirror-work technique on a Fendi bag — all of these are made by Indian artisans. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

Chanakya marked its 40th anniversary this month with three exhibitions tracing its journey from an embroidery powerhouse to a present-day craft and cultural institution. The person steering it is 49-year-old Karishma Swali, whose father set up the group's operations in the 1980s.

"What we have as a country is unique," she tells me of India's rich textile and craft heritage. "It's unparalleled in many ways, and it's the only place where we continue to practise it." During the Renaissance, she says, France and Italy had established and varied traditions. "But what we have in India today is [what] other parts of the world have lost."

Chanakya has a network of 1,400 artisans, and says that some are 13th-generation craftspeople, skilled in hundreds of embroidery traditions and supplying almost every luxury label you can imagine. Among the techniques they have revived is the Mughal-era silver filigree lace, or chaand jaal, reintroduced in a lighter form that has since become a regular feature in couture collections.

In 2023, Dior held a show at Mumbai's Gateway of India, showcasing its partnership with Chanakya, in a high-profile acknowledgment of Indian craftsmanship. The runway saw sari-inspired skirts, vibrant madras-checks sets and Nehru-collar jackets.

These collaborations are supported by expert craft knowledge passed down and refined over generations, and they need institutional support to survive. The Kalhath Institute, a craft-preservation centre in Lucknow, runs residencies that pair artists from across the world with local artisans.

Kalhath's co-founder Mohammed Amine Dadda tells me that Indian craftsmanship's defining quality is "intelligence of the hand" — a sensitive, slow and cumulative process underpinned by patience and dexterity. "Without this technical mastery, and the considerable time required to create the most demanding pieces, haute couture and contemporary luxury simply could not bring their most ambitious creative visions to life."

This mastery is not limited to textiles. When it comes to jewellery, global luxury brands have long sought Jaipur-based the Gem Palace, established in 1852 by the Kasliwal family, who still run it today. Samarth Kasliwal, 33, says part of the appeal lies in the visual language of Indian artistry itself. "There is something about Indian artistry that is inspired by nature," he tells me, pointing to the recurring use of floral patterns and animals across Indian art and design. These motifs are universal, and travel across the lines of culture and language.

One recent collaboration Kasliwal is particularly proud of is a collection for Dior featuring green onyx and rock crystals, with engravings of birds, animals and flowers. The combination, he says, is reminiscent of traditional Indian jewellery, while drawing on techniques that remain central to the atelier's work today.

With increased visibility, the question of credit and appropriation has become harder to ignore. Last week, a Ralph Lauren gown from the designer's spring 2027 collection attracted criticism after many Indians pointed out that the embroidery the brand described as "embellishments" looked a lot like Indian zardozi, but without any accompanying credit. (Ralph Lauren did not respond to my request for comment.)

Then, Fendi came under fire when people noticed that a baguette bag from its autumn/winter collection featured mirrorwork often seen in Gujarati crafts. In April, Fendi credited Chanakya artisans in a social media video showcasing the same embroidery. But the product description on its site failed to mention any Indian inspiration, and its final label read "Made in Italy".

After I asked Fendi about the discrepancy, the brand cited its "creative partnership" with Chanakya of more than three decades, saying it "remains committed to supporting and recognizing India's rich craft heritage". The website descriptor now reads: "Made in Italy and India with Chanakya".

A recent Financial Times report noted that under EU rules, garments embroidered in India can still end up with a European label — so long as the final construction and finishing take place in Europe.

Last year, Prada was accused of appropriating Indian culture with Kolhapuri-inspired sandals, a controversy that showed us these debates around recognition can sometimes produce a more structural response. "We acknowledge the sandals … are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage," Lorenzo Bertelli, the corporate social responsibility