REINTERPRETING THE ART OF BIDRI

The 700 year old craft is believed to have originated in the 14th century during the reign of the Bahamani sultans in Karnataka’s Bidar, from where the art spread to the entire Deccan. The story goes that the craft was brought to the Deccan by the Persians – during the day they propagated their religion, and by night they practiced the art in order to earn their livelihood in a foreign land.

Since then, this time-honoured tradition has been passed from one generation to the next. Today there are only a few clusters of craftsmen left – in the very same region which was once a hub of this rich, intricate art. 

Bidriware is made of an alloy of zinc and copper whilst the fine patterns are created using thin, silver stripes. The significance of the craft lies not only in its delicate beauty, history and production technique but also in its special ingredient - the soil from the Bidar Fort collected by artisans and used as an oxidizing agent. It is said that only the experienced Bidri workers can identify the soil after tasting it with their own tongue. It is this special soil that gives the objects their shiny, jet black look.

Our Bidri collection rethinks the 700 years-old intricate craft and introduces it to a new audience with a contemporary interpretation.