The Story Of Threads – Intertwining Stories And Lives

A simple thread, dyed in a colour that could be anyone from the spectrum of colours in nature, could be something that brings a dream to life. Imagine how the world of hand embroidery would be without these very threads – so dull, so lifeless and perhaps even non-existent. There is no embroidery in the world that does not use threads as the base – whether it is to attach sequins or beads to a fabric, it is the humble thread that holds the entire vision of the artisan together. 

Look at books that chronicle the history of embroidery and similar works and you will see that it all goes back several centuries. The first types of embroideries were done probably in 30,000 BC, because in recent excavations showed fossilized remains of clothing, boots and headwear that had been heavily hand-stitched and the decorations that could probably be classified as the first types of embroidery. While these could definitely not be comparable to the modern day zari work, it was probably where the roots of all these crafts lay.

Rather than telling you about the history of embroidery, I want to tell you the story of how a handful threads, changed my life and my thoughts about clothes. I have to be honest, I was never much of a fashionista, but I always had a love affair with clothes. I grew up spending a lot of time at my grandparents’ home – my grandmother was something of a saree connoisseur; her collection of sarees was huge! She owned almost every fabric imaginable, from Kancheepuram and Benarasi silks to cottons that came from Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. I would often rummage her cupboards for sarees that I could drape around myself and play house. 

My grandmother also had a truly talented tailor, who could stitch up blouses in a matter of hours, and could also create any outfit that you told her. Of course, she knew only the traditional types of clothes, but she had a creative talent that I had not seen – with a pretty fabric and the addition of some sequins work, she could create an outfit that would put several modern day fashion designers to shame. I still remember, for a family wedding, my grandmother handed this tailor lady some baby pink silk and told her that she had to create something stunning for her only grandchild – me! She attached some brocade and gota patti and created a lehenga choli that I fell absolutely in love with. Not only did it fit me perfectly, it looked so unique that everyone who saw it wanted to get something similar created for themselves too!

My grandmother passed away when I was in college and left a void that could never be filled. As her only granddaughter, I inherited all her jewellery, but what mattered to me more was the fact that she left some of her most stunning sarees to me. When my wedding was fixed, I missed my grandmother more than anything – she would have loved to see me decked up as a bride. I struggled to find some sort of semblance and include her in the wedding, when my mother suggested that I use one of my grandmother’s sarees to create one of the wedding outfits. As I jumped for joy at the suggestion, it was my grandmother’s delicate zardozi work saree that came to my mind.

I carefully took out the saree from the old antique teakwood box, which held all of my grandmother’s most exquisite sarees and the moment I saw it, I knew that this would be the basis of my wedding day outfit. I took the saree to my designer and asked her what could be done with it, and she immediately suggested cutting it up and using bits and pieces of the saree to create the wedding lehenga. But the thought of cutting the saree up was excruciatingly painful for me. I decided to trace my grandmother’s favourite tailor and ask her if she could do something for me. 

Aged and tired, my grandmother’s tailor’s eyes lit up when she saw me and mother and my grandmother’s stunning saree. It was as if she had suddenly lost ages and was once again this enthusiastic tailor and designer. She suggested that we use the entire saree to create the lehenga and use another fabric to create the choli. She promised me that with minimal cuts, she would be able to create the floor sweeping skirt. She suggested a cream choli to go with the maroon saree and with some delicate stone work, she promised me that I would look like the stunning bride I wanted to be. 

A few weeks later, when I received a call from the tailor lady, it took a few minutes to come to terms that she actually had my outfit ready. Within hours, I was at her doorstep and the twinkle in her eyes told me that she was very happy with what she had created. She took my hand and led me to a room inside her ancient house and there, resplendent and shimmering in the sunlight that filtered through the window, was my wedding dress. One look at it and I knew that my grandmother was now going to be with me, on the most important day of my life! 

Let The Festival Of Colours Brings New Colours To Your Wardrobe Too

When the month of March arrives, Indians all over the world are in the mood for celebration – they know that the winters are almost over and the festival of Holi marks just that. With the arrival of Holi, people are all set to pack away all their winter clothes and welcome spring with open hands. This is one of the reasons why several people look for special Holi shopping offers because they see this as an opportunity to revamp and refresh their wardrobe. 

For those who are fashion forward and for those who are a little behind when it comes to fashion matters, IndiaEmporium is the place to be. This is where you can come for all your fashion related needs and then something a little more! From clothes to accessories, there is so much on offer at IndiaEmporium, that even the most discerning fashion followers will find more than one thing that will capture their attention. IndiaEmporium is home to the latest fashion trends; this is where you can get your dreams designed and right now, it is also the place where you can find some of the best Holi 2019 offers too. 

Enter the IndiaEmporium website and you will find everything you want – whether you are looking for something simple and classy that you can wear for the Holi party at your society or you want something that is extremely snazzy for a high-end office event, you are sure to find it here. As a matter of fact, IndiaEmporium is one of the only places where you can get your dress designed online and have it delivered to your doorstep. All you have to do is talk to our design team, tell them what kind of outfit it is that you are looking for and with their creative inputs, the outfit that you might have only imagined will come to life, in front of your eyes. With IndiaEmporium’s Holi special offers, you should be able to get the outfit that you love, at prices that will make you fall in love with the outfit, all the more. 

If you are wondering how you should dress up for this Holi, then you need to definitely visit IndiaEmporium, because here you will find all the types of outfits that you could imagine. Whether you are looking for that simple white suit or something a little more stylish, you will find it here. This Holi, why not choose to give your style a little bit of edge – team a pair of hot pants or shorts with a bright coloured t-shirt or even a button-down shirt. Make sure that you choose cotton, because most other materials will cling to your body, once wet, giving you an awkward look. With cotton, your skin will be able to breathe better and you will be able to enjoy. With IndiaEmporium’s Holi deals, you should be able to find the perfect combinations and rock the Holi party. 

Then there is the evergreen white salwar suit, which works not only for every body type, but also every age group. You can of course choose to experiment with the type of salwar suit you want – you can go with a white anarkali or you could choose a short kurta, teamed with a Patiala salwar. You can also choose to play around with colours by teaming a white kurta with a coloured bottom and dupatta. IndiaEmporium’s Holi offers will allow you to shop to your heart’s content, without having to break into your savings. 

If you want to create a slightly more relaxed look, you could always team a white kurta with an old pair of jeans. Throw in a tie-dye scarf or dupatta with it and you would have created a cute look. Alternately, you can tie the same scarf around your head, not only creating a funky look, but also protecting your hair from the colour damage. For those who do not like being in ethnic wear, there is also the option of wearing a long or short white dress, ideally in cotton. In order to give it the slightly Indian touch, you could wear some ethnic accessories such as jhumkas or bangles. At our Holi sale, you should be able to find a range of ethnic accessories, which you can use not only for Holi, but also on several other occasions. 

Now, if you are planning on attending a Holi party, where no colours, but only flowers will be used, you can go a little more stylish – why not opt for a white or off-white saree, that you can team with a brightly coloured or printed blouse. Make sure that you have some flowers in your hair and that you match the outfit with the right type of accessories. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what type of outfit you are planning to wear, just make sure that you opt for something that you can spend a long time in and are comfortable. With IndiaEmporium’s Holi discounts, you can be sure that shopping will be fun and that you will most certainly be the centre of all attention, no matter where you go! 

Here’s Why You Should Design Your Own Clothes Virtually

You might not be a fashion designer, you might not be someone who understands how fabrics need to be matched with seasons or occasions. You might not know much about how certain types of embroidery work best with certain types of fabrics and you might not know much about how to choose from a plethora of wedding bridal lehengas. However, when you come to IndiaEmporium, you can be sure that you can walk out with the best outfits, no matter what your fashion knowledge. 

One of the main reasons why IndiaEmporium has become so popular is that it allows even those who know very little about fashion to look fashionable, every time. IndiaEmporium has not only simplified fashion, it has also brought the latest trends to every corner of the world. No matter which part of the world you are in, you can get your hands on these trends, because IndiaEmporium ships to almost every corner of the globe. 

Let’s say you are someone who knows little about fashion, but want custom made outfits, then IndiaEmporium is the place for you to come to. They have the most incredible design team, who will understand what it is that you are looking for, and then create the exact replica of what you had imagined. Although, for those who are not fashion forward, all this might seen incredibly complicated, but in reality, things could not be simpler. When you come to IndiaEmporium, you can browse through the truly incredible range of clothes and accessories they offer and you can choose something you like. However, if you are not completely satisfied with one outfit, but would want a little something from three or four outfits, you can get that done that too. 

I was someone who was apprehensive too, when my best friend told me that you could design your own clothes virtually at IndiaEmporium, but seeing her confidence, I decided to give it a try. I went to the website and was actually stunned at the range they had on offer – from simple kurtas that you can wear on a daily basis to outfits that I had seen on the red carpet, being worn by celebrities; there was simply so much to choose from. However, I really wanted to test their design team – so I told that I wanted an outfit that would be perfect for me, for my sister’s upcoming wedding. 

The kind of questions the designer asked me gave me immense confidence, because they were all the right kinds of questions. From asking me where the wedding was going to take place to the date, they asked me almost everything that I could imagine and more. By asking me the location, which was Udaipur in Rajasthan, they were able to suggest royal and regal looking colours such as purple and deep shades of red. When they asked me the date, which was the beginning of April, they suggested that I stick to lighter fabrics, as the heat tends to get out of hand in places like Rajasthan. 

They asked me to send in my measurements, using which they were able to gauge my problem areas and went on to suggest silhouettes that would mask all those areas, making me look slimmer and prettier. Normally, when you are looking for custom dresses online, you will not find a lot in exact accordance to what you need – you might find the colour you want, but it might not be the fabric you want, or you could find the type of dress that you wanted, but it might not have the type of work you fancy. However, at IndiaEmporium, all this is made possible by a team of incredibly talented designers, tailors and craftspeople. 

Once all our discussions were over, the people at IndiaEmporium sent over a sketch of what my dress would look like and just that sketch was enough to make me fall head over in heels. Over the next several days, almost every other day, I would have an email from them, which would have some new step of our my outfit creation – so if one day there was a swatch of embroidery work, another day it would be the dress being created on a mannequin. I have to tell you, IndiaEmporium changed my perception of custom women's clothing altogether and I was thoroughly impressed at how professional and talented the team was. 

In less than a month, I received an email that my outfit was ready and would be shipped to me soon and true to their word, within a few days this big package arrived at my door. Packed inside it, with utmost care, was this stunning lehenga, which fit me like a dream and took the breath away of quite a few people, at my sister’s wedding, including my husband! You have no idea how many people asked me where I got my outfit from, and all I had to tell them was when they too wanted custom tailored ethnic wear or even something modern and snazzy, the only place they needed to go to was IndiaEmporium! 

Finding Special Occasion Dresses In Australia Was Never This Easy

Even though I am someone who was born in Australia, I have always identified myself as an Indian first and then an Australian. I mean, even though on paper and all the legal documents, I am an Australian citizen, my family is from India and no matter what anyone says I have an Indian ethos. I love everything Indian – whether its food, movies, music or even clothes and although I do wear Western outfits most of the time, I just look for opportunities where I can flaunt my Indian occasion dresses.

I have friends who are absolutely in love with the clothes I wear and are often asking me where I find such stunning clothes. Whether it’s a saree that I drape around my reasonably in-shape body or the floor length anarkalis that I wear to rock college events, there is definitely something for my friends to gape at, every time I decide to dress up. There is truly something incredible about the Indian fashion scene today – there is so much going on in terms of fabrics being used and the designs being brought to life with them. Innumerable talented designers in India are using modern fabrics and methods to meld ancient techniques of embroidery and other needle crafts to bring to life outfits that are no ordinary events dresses. 

For the longest time, my mother or her sister would pick out clothes for me and my cousins on their trips to India, but that all stopped the day I found out about this incredible website called IndiaEmporium. This place was an oasis for me, because not only could I find the most extensive range of all the latest fashions in India, I could get it all shipped to my doorstep, right here in Melbourne! Every time, I am on IndiaEmporium, I feel like I am in the most exclusive boutique, because not only do they have the best festival outfits, but also the most adorable clothes for regular wear. And what is truly wonderful about IndiaEmporium is the fact that just in case you are not able to find something that you love, you could even get it designed. 

The true calibre of the design team at IndiaEmporium came to the forefront the day I set them a task – I needed an outfit that went above and beyond traditional festival clothing, because this was an outfit that I wanted to gift my cousin for her very first Diwali after getting married. She was planning to wear one of those sarees that had been a part of her wedding trousseau that she had never worn. While the saree was a stunning Kancheepuram one, I wanted her to have something that would make her stand apart in the crowd of Indians residing in Melbourne. I wanted her to look like the new bride and the stunner that she is and I wanted everyone to sit up and pay attention to how gorgeous she is and for that she needed a little more than the typical special occasion dresses for weddings.

So, I had a chat with the designers at IndiaEmporium and told them about the importance of the occasion and they immediately started sharing the latest trends in India. I fell in love with a lehenga saree design that they showed me and I knew that this was what I wanted to have created for my darling cousin. I started exploring options in terms of fabrics and colour combinations. With a lot of inputs from the designers, I finalised a combination of satin and net for the fabrics and we decided to go with multiple shades of blue. I decided that I wanted very delicate embroidery and the design team suggested that because we were going with a blue colour palette, silver and pearls would go very well. 

Within a day, they had sent me a sketch of what the outfit would look like – it looked so stunning that I decided to get something similar designed for myself too, albeit a little later – after all, I would not want to steal the spotlight from my sister. I okayed the design and during the next few days, I was constantly getting updates from the design team at IndiaEmporium, showing me how the outfit was progressing. I was getting pictures of how the silhouette of the outfit was coming and even swatches of the embroidery and pearl work. And before I could believe it, I received an email telling me that the outfit was ready and would be shipped to me soon. 

My mom has been looking for special occasion dresses in Australia for the longest time, but when she saw the outfit that I had gifted my sister, I have to tell you, she was supremely impressed with me. And as for my sister, she dazzled in that couture outfit, just as I had predicted!

Why I Chose A Light Lehenga For Engagement

At the time when my wedding got fixed, there was a flurry of activity – everyone seemed to be busy with something and as an only child, I was well aware of the fact that I too would have to take on some serious roles in the wedding preparations. There was so much planning to do for the wedding and all the ceremonies that surround a wedding; but before I could reach the wedding planning, there was the engagement. I was pretty sure that no one would accept me choosing lightweight wedding lehengas, because after all, the lehenga has to look wedding-worthy, but I was quite hopeful that I would get away with something lighter for the engagement. 

Because the engagement was being planned at a smaller and a much quieter level, I knew that I wouldn’t be expected to get extremely decked up. Truth be told, I am not the type of person who likes to dress up in extremely heavy clothes. I like to be able to feel comfortable and move with ease, in whatever I am wearing. So, I wanted to have an outfit for my engagement that would allow me to look good, without having to compromise on comfort and ease of movement. Thankfully, I knew that at IndiaEmporium I could have my cake and eat it too! I knew that this was the place where I would be able to find the most stylish lehenga for engagement and in case I didn’t find something I truly loved, I could get it designed. 

When I went online, I was able to find several stunning lehengas, each better than the other, but there was nothing that was meeting what I had in mind. I had once seen this lehenga in a bridal magazine in the lightest shade of pink; created using organza and satin, this lehenga had just wisps of embroidery and had looked absolutely gorgeous on the model wearing it in the magazine. That outfit had somehow stuck in my mind, and I knew that I wanted something like that for my engagement too. Not only would it be the perfectly light lehenga for engagement, it would also be the perfect look for my fairy tale like wedding. 

So, I decided that because I had time in my hands, I would get my dream lehenga designed through IndiaEmporium. I spoke at length with the design team and told them about the type of pink I was looking for, the type of fabrics I was envisioning and how light I wanted the work to be. I have to tell you, the design team at IndiaEmporium are nothing short of geniuses, because not only were they able to locate the exact pink I wanted, they also found it in organza and satin. The designer suggested that I go for a satin underskirt that was one shade darker as it would create contrast. They emailed me samples of the most delicate embroidery and bead work, that I fell completely in love with. 

Within about three days, I had the basic sketch of what my outfit would look like and I absolutely loved it. A few days later, I received yet another email which had a swatch of what the embroidery work would look like – it was a delicate vine like design with small pearls and it just worked so well against the pink fabric. Right in front of my eyes, through multiple emails, I could see my outfit coming to life and it was even better than I could have imagined. A few days before my engagement, I received this large package – it was my stunning lehenga, carefully packaged and in perfect condition. The lehenga fit me like a dream and completed my fairy tale vision. 

If you too are looking for an engagement lehenga for Indian bride, my suggestion is that you look at IndiaEmporium, because they offer one of the widest range of bridal outfits online. And while there will be those who will feel a little sceptical about shopping online, I would tell them to try out IndiaEmporium once, because this is easily the best shopping experience ever! And in case you don’t find something you like, here, you could always get it created, just for you! 

How I Found The Perfect Mehndi Outfits For Bridesmaids At My Wedding!

Getting married is supposed to be a wonderful time in your life, but when I was about to get married, little did I know that it would become the most stressful time of my life. There was simply so much to do – right from choosing the wedding venue to what kind of flower decorations would adorn the venue. And it was not just the wedding that I had to think about; there were the innumerable ceremonies that were going to come before and after the actual wedding and there was so much to do for all of them as well. 

The first events that I needed to handle were the sangeet and mehndi – and what made it all so much more difficult was that mine was going to be the typical big fat wedding and every ceremony of the wedding was going to be huge. Six of my dearest friends were also going to be a part of all the wedding festivities, but to add to my woes, all of them were in different cities and would be arriving just in time for the festivities. That meant that I had to arrange for their sangeet and mehndi lehenga dress too, in addition to my own outfits. 

What was interesting in all of this was that my dearest friends wanted outfits that were colour coordinated with mine and although they wanted outfits that looked similar, none of them wanted to be caught or more importantly, photographed, in the same outfit. This meant that I had to either walk in and out of several stores, trying to find seven outfits that were in the same colour combination, but still different or I could hire a designer and ask them to create seven outfits for three wedding related events that were just the way we wanted them to be. That is when someone suggested that I consider looking at sangeet and mehndi dresses online. 

I am a modern woman and I do a lot of shopping online, but when it came to picking out expensive and exquisite dresses such as those for a wedding or mehendi, I have to say I was a little apprehensive. However, when I went online on IndiaEmporium, I have to say, I was in for a really pleasant surprise. The range of outfits they had was immense and truly incredible – they had outfits for every type of occasion and also every type of price range. This was like a shopper’s paradise and I knew that I would most certainly find my sangeet lehenga online here, but one was not going to be enough, because my friends also needed outfits. 

Being the bride, I was not being very choosy, but I most certainly was not willing to wear the same outfit that my friends were going to be wearing. I mean, wearing a similar colour was one thing, but I was the bride; I had to stand out! I thought I would use the chat option to ask them if they could help me in this situation. Little did I know that I was about to head to something even better than a ‘shopper’s paradise’ – at IndiaEmporium, you can actually hire the services of a professional designer and get your outfit created, the way you want!

When I told them that I was looking for sangeet and mehndi outfits for my bridesmaids, they almost immediately understood what it was that I had in mind and starting sharing ideas at me. They helped me out with colour palettes, fabrics that I could consider and of course what kind of work would look good on the lehengas. The designer I chatted with, told me that I could have seven outfits, each different from the other, but yet similar. I asked her if she could give me an idea of how that would work out and within a few days, she sent me sketches of all the outfits – they all looked different, yet there was something similar in all of them and I fell in love with all of them. 

Not only was I kept in the loop, through emails, all the time, I also got to see the entire set of outfits coming to life. And when they finally arrived, they were absolutely incredible and me as well as my best friends looked stunning! 

How I Always Find The Perfect Designer Kurti For Occasions

 Although I am not overly obsessed with fashion, I am someone who is always concerned about how I look and I make it a point that every time I am stepping out of the house, I look good. I might never look like I have just stepped off the Paris runway, but I do tend to draw attention, the good type, with what I am wearing. I have to also tell you that I don’t have the perfect figure, but I am always reading about how to dress right according to the body type. Now because I live and work in India, I have to tell you that kurtas and kurtis are my favourite types of clothes, because there is simply so much you can do with them. This is also why I am always on the lookout for the latest kurtis design.

The reason why I love kurtas and kurtis so much is because they are both such versatile parts of your wardrobe. By changing how you wear them, you can create so many looks – wear them with leggings or a salwar and you have something that is traditional and Indian; wear the same thing with a pair of jeans or trousers and you have something that would be labelled Indo-western or fusion. Kurtis can be serious and they can also be the perfect choice for a fun day out with your friends. That is the reason why I have so many kurtas and kurtis in my wardrobe. 

I have friends who always come to me and ask me where I always manage to find such trendy and well fitting kurtis. To be honest, I always do have the perfect kurti for the occasion and more than once, I have had these very friends, raiding my cupboard, because they too want that perfect look. And whenever I tell them that most of the times, I pick up my clothes from a kurtis online sale, they give me a look of surprise and often, bewilderment. Finally, I decided to let them in on my fashion secret and introduced them to the world of IndiaEmporium!

For those of you who don’t know, IndiaEmporium is the best fashion store – not only because it has the most extensive range of clothes and accessories, but also because the entire store is online. This means that you no longer have to drag yourself to an actual store to enjoy the best shopping experience. As a matter of fact, there is nothing I detest more than going to a fashion retail store during the sale season. You always end up not getting what you want, or in case you do find something you like, it might not be available in your size. You have to wait for ages to get into a trial room and chances are that the other outfit you had your eye on, has already disappeared, while you were trying out the first outfit! 

At IndiaEmporium, you can find it all, and that too with utmost ease – whether you are looking for long designer kurtis or want something short and spunky, here you can browse through the virtual aisles at your own pace and pick out whatever it is that catches your eye. There is simply so much to choose from, in terms of designs, fabrics, colours and even the work done on them. The site offers precise measurements charts, allowing you to purchase the perfect size for you, and just in case, the outfit does not fit you the way you thought it would, you could always just get it changed. And in the rare chance that the outfit you fell in love with has gone out of stock, you could always talk to the customer care team and inform them about the same and they will let you know, the moment it is back in stock. 

What is truly wonderful about IndiaEmporium is the fact that they website changes its designs and stocks as per the seasons – so when you will have a plethora of cotton outfits during the summers, you will the most stunning online woollen kurtis during the winter months. When wedding season comes knocking, you will find so many dresses that will be just perfect for the weddings and related ceremonies. IndiaEmporium has been designed to cater to all your whims and fancies – whether you want something simple that you can use on a day to day basis, or you want something that is incredibly elaborate for your own wedding, you will be able to find it all, right here. 

Now that I have let my friends in on my secret, whenever I see them wearing the perfect designer kurti for occasions that are special, I know where they got it from. I know that their and my favourite shopping destination is now the same!