A Lattice Of Knots
by - Tarun Tahiliani
The delicate floral motifs that passed down through generations of Lucknawi artisans date back to the Mughal era. Popular legend tells of the Empress Noor Jahan favouring the intricate embroidery almost like lattice on muslin. Chikankari quickly became a favourite in Jahangir’s court and a symbol of nobility among the Nawabs of Mughal India. It continues to retain this regal appeal as celebrated designers across the country turn to its subtle opulence for their finest creations.
An ardent admirer and connoisseur of Chikankari, Tarun Tahiliani, deconstructs the traditional paisley and floral motifs in the first of his collections with Obeetee. Setting them against contemporary geometric lines and distressed, layered borders, he transforms the Noor’s Lattice into instances of modern Indian design – a task that put the skills of even our most experienced craftsmen to the test.
Learning the nuances of Chikankari from Tahiliani’s master embroiderers, our weavers echoed his vision into contemporary Indian carpets that resonate international design.
The quintessentially Indian paisley breaks through the borders that run in varying gradients across this carefully distressed rug.
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In a rendering of a dewy garden at midnight, floral motifs dominate this tapestry of dusky blues and pastel browns.
Transposing motifs in concentric ovals, this carpet finds itself defined by the beautiful borders that frame it, all representing the garden of paradise.
Woven with immaculate detailing reminiscent of chikankari’s lattice-like finesse, the abstraction of broken motifs bring this midnight blue carpet to the contemporary home.
Geometric repetitions of a single motif are distressed into solid blocks in these carpets that recreate the image of muslin stretched on vintage frames