Chikankari 101: The Desi Drip You Gotta Know

Okay Kudiyeni, let’s not drag this. Just a little knowledge you should have, because after all it’s Indian heritage and you gotta flex it right. 

Where It Started

* Chikankari (चिकनकारी) goes way back, like Mughal era vibes around 16th century.Basically, royalty started it and To be precise Nur Jahan (wife of Jahangir), and now it’s our OG street-to-wedding wear.

*“Chikan” comes from the Persian word itself, which simply means embroidery.

* It started with embroidery on soft fabrics (muslin/mulmul).
* Chikankari has a GI Tag Geographical Indication,which means only embroidery made in Lucknow can be called Chikankari. So if someone is selling in Mumbai or Delhi, either they sourced it from Lucknow or made a copy locally — both ways it gets expensive (extra travel + ordering cost).

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🪡 How It’s Made

Authentic chikankari = handmade, hours and hours by artisans (mostly women sitting at home). That’s why it’s pricey. But… most of what you see in markets today = factory-made.

👉 Process is simple:

1. Cutting– fabric gets prepped.
2. Embroidery – machine or artisan, depending on type.
3. Coloring/Dyeing– this is where you can play with colours.

💡 You can’t really “customize” designs in factory-made pieces. Why? Because it’s mass production. Same design goes to 100s of shops. The only thing you can tweak = color (most chikankari is dyable).

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💸 The Shopping Myth

You’d think -Let’s go to Lucknow, it’ll be cheaper.
Umm… nope honey 😏.

* Whether you shop in Lucknow or online → prices are almost the same except few online shops.
* Unless you’re buying 20+ pieces (like wholesale vibes), only then you’ll get up to 30% discount.
* Otherwise? Save those travel bucks ✈️, sip your chai ☕, scroll your phone 📱, and get your chikankari delivered at your doorstep.

💸 Where to Buy

Here’s the tea: most shops buy from the same wholesale places or manufactures. So whether you buy from a hyped store or a small shop in a gali, you’ll get pretty much the same stuff.

Hack: Check smaller, less popular shops — same design, lower price. If you only hit big names, it’s gonna burn your pocket. Also buy it from lucknow based shops or website only.

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🌸 Why You Need One

Chikankari is timeless. It doesn’t go out of style, it always looks elegant, and honestly? It gives that kudiyeni (कुड़िये नी) vibe every time you wear it. ✨

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⚡ In short: Know your chikankari. Respect the craft. Don’t overpay. And rock it like the desi royalty you are. 👑