That Dior ₹1-Crore Look? It’s Mukaish From Lucknow: Here’s What The Craft Is, And Why It’s Rarely Acknowledged

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What happens when Indian craftsmanship dazzles on the global runway-yet no one says it's Indian?

That's exactly the conversation Dior unintentionally sparked at Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026. The luxury label unveiled a men's overcoat priced at over ₹1.6 crore, hand-embroidered using Mukaish-a traditional metallic thread technique native to Lucknow. It took 12 artisans and 34 days to complete. Impressive? Yes. Acknowledged? Not at all.

Nowhere in Dior's campaign or showcase materials was there a mention of the artisans, the city of Lucknow, or even the craft itself. The omission didn't go unnoticed. From textile researchers to business leaders like Edelweiss CEO Radhika Gupta, social media buzzed with one question: why are Indian artisans still invisible in luxury fashion?

And this isn't a one-off. Prada recently showcased Kolhapuri-style sandals at Milan Fashion Week but without ever naming the town or its artisan community. Mukaish may be the latest casualty, but it's part of a larger pattern-where Indian crafts become "exotic details" while their origins get erased.

So What Is Mukaish, Really?

If you've ever seen a dupatta shimmer as it catches the light, tiny glints of silver dotting its surface like stars-you've probably seen Mukaish work.

Originally called 'badla' or 'fardi', Mukaish is an embroidery technique from Lucknow that uses thin strips of metallic wire, twisted by hand and inserted into fabric. It dates back to the Mughal era, when it was worn by royalty and aristocrats. Over time, Mukaish became a staple for festive wear, bridal couture, and heirloom textiles in North India.

Today, artisans-often from families who've done this for generations-still use small tweezers and nimble fingers to create geometric patterns, floral trails, and star-like dots. The process is so intricate that even a simple design can take days. Yet, it's rarely the name that fashion houses or influencers remember.

Lucknow's Twin Threads: Chikankari And Mukaish

In Lucknow, Mukaish often appears alongside Chikankari-the delicate white-thread embroidery that has gained global admiration over the years. Chikankari offers intricate motifs and texture; Mukaish adds gleam. Together, they create some of the subcontinent's most cherished fabrics.

But while Chikankari enjoys museum showcases and influencer praise, Mukaish is often left in the shadows even when it's the very detail that catches the eye.

The Problem Isn't Inspiration, It's Erasure

No one's saying global designers can't draw from Indian crafts. The problem begins when the borrowing turns into flattening where a 500-year-old technique becomes an unnamed "metallic detail," and the artisans behind it remain unnamed.

It's not about nationalism; it's about acknowledgement. If brands can wax poetic about Italian leather or Scottish tweed, why can't they say "Mukaish from Lucknow"?

Fashion doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's built on people's labour, lineage, and lived realities. When those are stripped away in favour of vague storytelling and glossy campaign videos, it sends a clear message: the product matters, but the people don't.

What Would Credit Even Look Like?

It's simple: a line in the show notes. A tag in the caption. A conversation with the artisans that goes beyond commercial transactions. Some brands like Raw Mango and Ka-Sha do this well-centering the communities that create the work.

In 2023, Dior did credit Indian artisans during their historic Gateway of India show. That's what makes this year's silence even louder.

The Fashion Industry's Reluctance To Name Indian Crafts

Despite its visual richness and deep heritage, Mukaish-like many Indian crafts often gets overlooked in global fashion conversations. One reason is the industry's preference for vague terms like "hand-embellished" or "metal-thread embroidery," which sound luxe without tying the look to a specific region or culture. It's easier to repackage tradition as "boho" or "couture" when you don't name the hands that made it.

It's Not Too Much To Ask

Artisan work is already underpaid and undervalued. At the very least, it deserves to be named. Because Mukaish isn't just sparkle-it's heritage in every twist of wire. It's hours of labour in every dot. And it's time the world saw and said where that shimmer really comes from.