Aari is the embroidery most people picture when they think of Kashmir: flowing floral chains worked in a fine hooked needle, curling across a neckline and down a sleeve.
Where it comes from
The craft arrived in Kashmir centuries ago and settled into the valley’s own visual language — chinar leaves, almond blossoms, paisleys drawn from the shape of the river. In its traditional form it is worked by hand with a hooked awl, the aar, which gives the stitch its chain-like line.
Whole families in Srinagar and the villages around it have worked this craft for generations, and in its handmade form a single kaftan can take days.
How ours is made
Our kaftans carry the Aari pattern, embroidered by machine. The motifs are traditional, the placement is the same, and the effect on the cloth is close — but the thread is laid by machine, not by hand.
We are direct about this because the difference matters and the price reflects it. A machine-embroidered Aari kaftan at ₹1,300 is a good buy. The same piece sold as hand embroidery at the same price would simply not be true.
Aari and Tilla
- Aari-style — chain-stitch florals, slightly raised, usually in coloured thread
- Tilla-style — metallic gold or silver thread, heavier and more festive
Want hand embroidery?
We take made-to-order hand-Sozni pieces. It is a different price and a longer wait, and we will tell you exactly what both are before you commit.