About

Textile Designer Megha Agarwal founded Studio Maeve to channel her love and passion for handmade Indian textiles. She dreams to bring her selectively designed pieces that tell stories of the skilled intergenerational craftsmen of India.

Megha’s first experience with the handloom, as a young student from the top design school of India, NIFT, left her with intrigue, wonder and respect for India’s craftsmen and their dedication. As she learnt of the process of handloom weaving, from hand spinning to putting a warp on loom, she found that the particular weaver took between four to ten days to weave a scarf! This experience left an indelible mark on Megha. And it is this commitment and quality that Studio Maeve aims to bring forward through its products.

Having worked with the world renowned Indian Couture designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, combined with masters in surface design from  Fashion Institute of Technology, and experience working with a top textile design firm in Manhattan, Megha has used her own story and expertise to personally design and develop each product in this line.

Each piece being sold by Studio Maeve also aims to tell the stories of its artisans. Whether it’s the "karigar"embroidery artisan who devotedly and lovingly decorates the pillows with intricate metallic beads and embellishments or the artisan who adorns the scarves and pillows finally with tassels and trims. Studio Maeve aspires to keep the rich heritage of Indian textile industry not only alive but getting the exposure it deserves on a global stage.

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OUR PROCESS

Hand weaving: The cotton yarn is hand spun and hand dyed in natural indigo and then woven on hand loom by members of the khadi weaving community. This hand spun and hand-woven fabric is called “Khadi”. Khadi is not just a cloth, it was a movement started by Mahatma Gandhi. A symbol of independence and self-reliance instead of using the industrially mass produced British cloth.

Jamdani: The art of weaving Jamdani, originally from Bengal and estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, has been declared as a cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. On manual looms, weavers integrate in the weft with a needle, a floral or geometric pattern point by point. This art requires the most lengthy and dedicated work from the artisan.

Zardosi/Kantha Embroidery:

All our pillows are embroidered by “karigars” local artisans using the finest embellishments and trims. Everything used in the collection, from hand-dyed threads and unique beads to sequins and metal studs, is ethically sourced from the local market. These pillows are lovingly hand finished by trims and tassels.