At Paris Fashion Week, Dior unveiled a gold-ivory coat that shimmered like sunlight on water. The price? Nearly $200,000. But the real value lay in its story — one that began far from Paris, in the winding lanes of Lucknow.
The brilliance of the coat came from Mukhaish embroidery, a centuries-old technique born during the Mughal era. Back then, this art was the domain of the Nawabs and royal courts. Threads of pure gold and silver were twisted into wires and embedded into fabric, then polished with glass until they caught the light like tiny mirrors. The result? A garment that didn’t just shine & it radiated opulence.
There are two main styles: Fardi ka Kaam, a delicate dusting of dots and rings like stars scattered across the night sky, and Kamdani, a denser weave of florals and geometric patterns that feel regal in their weight and intricacy. Both require an artisan’s unwavering patience — each motif is shaped by hand, each thread coaxed into place, sometimes over weeks.
Today, the heart of Mukhaish still beats in Old Lucknow, in small workshops and market stalls where the air smells faintly of starch and metal polish. In Aminabad Market, you can run your fingers over sarees, dupattas, and lehengas that hold centuries of craft in every glint. While fewer artisans take up the work in a fast-fashion world, the legacy refuses to fade & preserved in bridal trousseaus, heirloom pieces, and now, couture runways.
When Dior sent Mukhaish down an international runway, it wasn’t just showcasing embroidery, it was carrying a piece of Lucknow’s soul. And that’s the kind of luxury that can’t be priced.
