At Khanum's, embellishment has never been an afterthought. It is part of our identity.
Growing up in a British Bangladeshi family with a garment-making background, I developed an appreciation for the craftsmanship behind clothing long before I understood fashion itself. I watched garments come to life through skilled hands, where every stitch, every seam and every detail had purpose. That respect for artistry has always been something I knew I wanted to build into Khanum's.
When I launched the brand, our first collection consisted entirely of embellished jackets. They represented everything I loved about craftsmanship - pieces that couldn't be rushed and demanded patience, precision and skill. As the brand evolved, so did our collections. We introduced dresses and, over time, cleaner, more minimal silhouettes. But one thing has never changed: our commitment to creating beautifully crafted pieces.
The response to our recent Himagni Kalini Dress reminded us why. While trends evolve, there will always be women who appreciate garments that are made, not manufactured. Every embellished Khanum's piece is handcrafted in India by master karigars, artisans whose embroidery techniques have often been passed from one generation to the next. Their work is not simply production; it is a centuries-old craft rooted in patience, discipline and extraordinary attention to detail.
The journey begins in our London studio, where I sketch the initial silhouette and create the first embellishment concept. Working closely with our in-house designer, we refine the artwork, scale the motifs and consider how every detail will move across the body. An embellished dress isn't designed flat on paper - it has to come alive when worn. Once approved, the design travels to our artisan partners in India.
The first stage is remarkably traditional. The artwork is hand-traced onto paper before being carefully transferred onto the fabric, creating a guide for the embroidery. Large wooden frames are then used to stretch the fabric perfectly taut, allowing multiple artisans to work on a single garment with complete precision. From there, the embroidery begins.
Every bead, crystal, sequin and thread is applied individually by hand using fine needles and traditional techniques that have been perfected over decades. Different artisans often specialise in different elements of the embroidery - one may focus solely on beadwork, another on crystal placement, another on intricate thread embroidery. Together, they build each design layer by layer, creating depth, texture and light that simply cannot be replicated by machine.
Throughout the process, the piece is continually assessed. Bead density is adjusted, motifs are balanced and placements are refined until every embellishment feels intentional. Sometimes sections are unpicked and reworked entirely to achieve the perfect finish. There are no shortcuts when every detail is visible.
Many of our dresses require well over 200 hours of hand embroidery before they are complete. When the embroidery is finished, every garment undergoes meticulous quality checks before returning to our atelier for final review. Only then is it approved for production.
In an industry increasingly driven by speed, we choose something different. We choose to preserve craftsmanship. We choose to invest in artisans whose skills deserve to be celebrated. We choose to create garments that carry the fingerprints of the people who made them.
For us, embellishment is more than decoration. It is heritage, artistry and human craftsmanship brought together in a piece that is designed to be worn, treasured and passed on.
Because true luxury is not measured by how quickly something can be made.