Hyderabad’s Pilitaxi festive edit celebrates Indian craftsmanship across fashion and lifestyle

This season is a time for thoughtful purchases, whether it is an embroidered ensemble for a family gathering, a handcrafted accessory or a gift that carries a story. Bringing together independent labels that celebrate Indian craftsmanship, Pilitaxi’s festive curation in Hyderabad explores handcrafted luxury across fashion, accessories, jewellery and lifestyle.

Hyderabad’s Pilitaxi showcases handcrafted luxury for festive fashion and lifestyle

“For this year’s festive line-up in Hyderabad, our focus was on bringing together a thoughtful mix of brands that represent the many facets of handcrafted luxury, from festive clothing and jewellery to lifestyle products and gifting,” says Bijaya Dutta, founder of Pilitaxi. Alongside festive ethnic wear and handcrafted jewellery, the selection includes home décor by KTHAA, handmade pottery by atKanika’s, chocolates by Cavasa, handcrafted accessories by Maruvi, clean perfumes by Secret Alchemist and handwoven baskets by Weave. “The idea was to create a curation where people could discover something for every occasion, whether they are looking for festive wear, indulgence, or a thoughtful gift for someone,” she adds.

At Label Darpan, founder Sonika Sethi draws on Lucknow’s rich craft heritage, bringing chikankari and zardozi into contemporary silhouettes. The label focuses on minimal designs that allow traditional embroidery to take centre stage, complemented by fluid handloom fabrics that suit modern lifestyles. “The design language for us has always been minimal, with craft taking centre stage,” Sonika explains.

The brand was born from a gap its founders experienced themselves. Having grown up in Lucknow and worked in IT and banking, the sisters struggled to find understated chikankari on good-quality fabrics, with much of the market dominated by heavily embroidered garments on polyester blends. Their search for better textiles took them to different parts of India, including Gujarat and Kolkata, where they explored fabrics and built relationships with weavers. Their collections, Gulbaagh and Lahori, bring personal histories into contemporary dressing. While Gulbaagh explores hand-painted florals on handloom cottons and silks, Lahori revisits the chote ponche ki salwar, a silhouette cherished by their great-grandmothers when they lived in Lahore before Partition. Paired with Lucknowi chikankari, the collection connects generations through clothing. “Both collections reflect our belief that heritage need not be reserved for special occasions; it can be a part of everyday dressing, too,” Sonika says.

For Prashant Chouhan, the philosophy behind his label lies in balancing traditional craftsmanship with contemporary needs.His approach centres on returning to the roots of Indian craft, remaining mindful of how clients want to dress today. Keeping designs simple, handcrafted and rooted, he believes the value of a piece lies in the skill and patience behind its creation. “Everything is made with labour of love, requires time and patience. Luxury is in craftsmanship,” he says. His focus is on using traditional crafts and textiles in minimal forms, creating pieces suited to festive dressing and special occasions without losing sight of wearability.

Chiaroscuro, founded by Smriti Sain, takes a considered approach to leather accessories, creating bags intended to be used for years rather than replaced with every passing trend. The label works with surplus and upcycled leather, using the material’s ability to develop character with age as a starting point for its designs.“Every design begins with one simple question: Will someone still enjoy carrying this ten years from now?” Smriti explains. Each bag is made by a single artisan, from the first cut to the final finishing, and is made to order, allowing customers to choose colours, leather and customisations. The brand also shares a photograph of the artisan who made each finished bag, creating a more personal connection between maker and customer. Its designs incorporate Indian craft traditions, including gond painting, kantha stitching, zardozi embroidery and kashmiri chain stitch, reinterpreted for contemporary use.

Meanwhile, Kthaa, founded by Vatsal Neeta Hemant Shah, brings traditional Indian crafts into modern homes. Its naari candle holders combine channapatna wood-lacquer turning with the visual language of traditional sari borders, translating familiar cultural references into contemporary décor.“Artisans are an integral part of my creative process, not just the people who manufacture a finished design,” Vatsal says.

By combining their generational knowledge with experimentation in form, colour and application, Kthaa aims to create new opportunities for traditional skills to reach wider audiences.

Together, the labels reflect the spirit of Pilitaxi’s festive edit, where craft is celebrated not only through clothing and accessories but also through objects designed for everyday life. The Hyderabad curation offers an opportunity to explore a personal approach to festive shopping.

Free entry. 24 & 25 October. At Imli Sarai, Banjara Hills.

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