national geographic

New Chikan Shirt at National Geographic

Chikan is the traditional white-on-white embroidery of Lucknow in northern India. Artists start by block-printing a design onto the fabric, which they trace using a variety of stitches to create a textured, lacy pattern. This semisheer, short-sleeve blouse features chikan work (chikankari, which literally means “embroidery” in the Urdu language) covering the front, along with a squared neckline and side vents.

Women’s sizes S (4–6), M (8–10), L (12–14), XL (16–18).

Get it here!

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Museum catalogs featured Gemstone jewelry from Designs by Sudha


Precious stones have always fascinated me. IN the old days the costs of these stones were so prohibitive, few could afford them . People wore their wealth in the form of gold or silver and counted their blessings. Now with modern technology combined with less expensive ways of mining for these stones, more people can buy and wear them.


Emerald earrings, from Designs by Sudha was featured in the National Geographic catalog. Set in vermeil, it was attractive and affordable with a rich look! Emerald is symbolic of love and romance and is called the “stone of hope”. Ancients believed it treated eye problems and was a strong healing stone. It is said increase awareness of the beauty around us. It is the most precious of the beryl group.

Garnet brings Inner Strength. It is the “stone of constancy and commitment”; It provides the wearer with a sense of rootedness. In the Victorian era it was the stone of passionate love and fidelity, ruling all emotions and passions of the heart It inspires and promotes self-confidence in new beginnings. This simple yet elegant necklace was carried by The Art Institute of Chicago for many seasons.

Iolite symbolizes Inner Knowledge. It is also called cordierite and “water sapphire”. It is said to aid in resolving conflict; eliminates debt; facilitates responsibility; aids intuition. They say it helps the wearer to remember and to increase dreams; stone of power; enhances leadership, power, inner strength. This was one of my favorite necklaces and was carried by a wonderful catalog of handicrafts called Eziba. I had designed this in both iolite and garnets.


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National Geographic Fall 2010

Designs by Sudha has had the great honor of featuring our designs in The National Geographic Catalog. Many of you know National Geographic through their magazine, but their Mission aligns with one of our basic Missions, cultural preservation.
National Geographic has just released their Fall 2010 catalog and their amazing richness and taste is reflected here. In case you have missed it, you can view their catalog here.
Master printers in Jaipur created this skirt using an age old printing technique of “Khadi” in gold. “Ghagra” a staple in Indian women’s wardrobes was the inspiration for the skirt I did exclusively for National Geographic. Made with printed cotton in the tradition of homespun
fabric. Lightweight and flattering, the crinkle finish adds to the richness of the look.

Another National Geographic Exclusive, the Mughal Garnet Hoop Earrings are crafted from vibrant red garnets on a hand crafted silver hoop in the Mughal style. They were crafted in the northern Indian city of Jaipur, which remains an artistic center to this day.
Last that I’ll feature from this exciting catalog are the Jaipur Garnet Earrings. Known as balis, the earrings often combine a flat front surface with gems. We have crafted this offering for National Geographic using master jeweler’s techniques with a simpler shape that lets the faceted garnets sparkle against a gold-vermeil hoop.
To see all Sudha items from this catalog, click here.

We are finishing last minute prepartations for some special customer meetings in New York where we hope to bring more innovative and lush designs to all of you through our network of retailers. Supporting the cause of preserving hand craftsmenship has been an integral part of our mission for the past 25 years ago. We are proud of retailers for supporting our mission.
Following New York, we head to India where we continue to find the best artisans to create the most elaborate and intricate designs using time honored traditions. Thank you all for your support, I will follow up from India soon.

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