As the festive season approaches, Pilitaxi returns to Hyderabad with a thoughtful edit of handcrafted luxury, bringing together artisans and designers who are giving India’s rich craft traditions a contemporary voice.
For Bijaya Dutta, founder and curator of Pilitaxi, handcrafted luxury is increasingly about meaning rather than price. “Handcrafted luxury is no longer defined only by exclusivity or a high price point. It is about time, skill, thoughtfulness and individuality,” she explains. “In a world of mass production and fast consumption, there is something deeply luxurious about owning something that has been made slowly and carries knowledge and story of the person behind it.”
Hyderabad, she adds, has a growing audience that appreciates craftsmanship while remaining open to contemporary design. “The idea is not simply to create a shopping experience, but a space for discovery,” Bijaya shares. After six years and 69 chapters, she has seen audiences become more curious about provenance and process. “Craft is finding newer audiences, contemporary design is becoming more confident and customers are becoming increasingly open to discovering stories, processes and brands beyond what is already familiar to them.”
Among the brands featured is Cananor Guild, founded by Vandhana Sunil and Manjul Jayakumar, whose family textile legacy dates back to 1939. Drawing from Kannur’s weaving heritage, the brand creates contemporary textiles while working closely with local artisans and weaving communities. “Rather than preserving tradition as something that belongs only to the past, we wanted to show how beautiful these techniques and textiles can be when interpreted through a modern design lens,” they explain. Their take on the Kerala thorthu reflects this approach. “These textiles shouldn’t remain something we only associate with the past. They should continue to be part of everyday life, just in new ways,” they add.
At Kapardara, founders Geetanshu and Sneha Shekhawat reinterpret Rajasthan’s traditional craftsmanship through a bolder, more artistic lens. Inspired by palaces, jewels, vintage clothing and the natural world, they work with techniques such as miniature art and Ada Kaam. “We wanted to create something that felt rooted in India but looked at through a completely different lens,” they explain. Their philosophy of “perfect imperfection” celebrates the skill of the human hand. “Every stroke, stitch and detail carries the presence of the person who made it. It makes every piece feel more personal, more alive and ultimately, more human,” they reflect.
For Debalina Kundu, founder of BAHI, Dhakai Jamdani is deeply personal, rooted in memories of her grandmothers from Narayanganj. After leaving a corporate career, she built BAHI around the weave. “Dhakai Jamdani stays in a category of its own — woven air, light as a feather,” she says. Her larger philosophy is about bringing thoughtful design into everyday life. “If you can spend 5–10 lakh on a wedding lehenga, why not invest a little more thought into what you wear every single day?” she asks, advocating quality and mindful consumption.
At Origin & Objects, founder Dhanya Sugathan draws on historic trade routes and the exchange of ideas between cultures for her Echoes collection. Working with artisan communities in Bengal and Karnataka, she develops handwoven cottons, Khadi, Jamdani and recycled silk into contemporary silhouettes. “I believe that for handloom to continue to thrive, they need to live in the present — not only in museums or through nostalgia,” Dhanya adds.
Diti Mistry brings sustainability into the conversation by transforming discarded textiles into wearable art. “I could not see a beautiful textile go to waste,” she recalls, describing how her practice grew from collecting materials from tailors, weavers, block printers and craftspeople. Inspired by indigenous communities, wildlife and nature, Diti believes in slowing down the creative process. “I feel you can tell the most beautiful stories without creating waste,” she reflects.
As Pilitaxi arrives at its 70th chapter in Hyderabad, that evolution feels increasingly tangible — a growing appetite for artisanal work that is considered deeply connected to its origins.
Free entry. Sept 11 & 12, 11 am to 8 pm. CCT Spaces, Banjara Hills.
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