Jaypore Launches 'Karigari Ki Kahani' Campaign to Celebrate Indian Craft
Jaypore, from the house of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL), has unveiled its 'Karigari Ki Kahani: Keepers of the Weave' campaign, a storytelling initiative that brings together prominent Indian women voices to reframe the future of craft. The campaign features a brand film with mindful writer Karuna Ezara Parikh, creative director and stylist Devanshi Tuli, fashion editor Praachi Raniwala, singer-songwriter Lothika Jha, and Alka Sharma, who runs a traditional Dabu craft unit in Rajasthan.
The initiative aims to shift the conversation from consumption to deeper connection, highlighting craft as a lived experience shaped by touch and emotion. According to Sooraj Bhat, CEO of Premium Ethnic Business at ABFRL, 'Karigari Ki Kahani is our attempt to shift the conversation around Indian craft from consumption to deeper connection. We wanted to create a platform that honours not just the beauty of the handmade, but also the people, memories and lived experiences behind it.'
Campaign Focuses on Artisan Voices and Cultural Legacy
The film explores craft as memory, identity, labour, and legacy, with participants sharing personal moments—such as the scent of a grandmother's sari or watching Dabu block print dry in the sun. It addresses the pressing question of what craft means in an age of speed and scale, centering artisan voices as authors of culture rather than invisible contributors to a supply chain. The campaign underscores the need for greater recognition, authorship, and equitable value within craft ecosystems.
Jaypore currently works with 2,500+ craft families across 40+ craft clusters, celebrating 39 unique crafts from across India. Bhat added, 'Today, as we work with 2,500+ craft families across 40+ craft clusters and celebrate 39 unique crafts from across India, our commitment remains rooted in preserving and evolving these living traditions for the modern woman.'
Collaboration Between Designers and Artisans
A key theme of the campaign is the evolving relationship between designers and artisans, presenting craft as a collaborative process rather than mere inspiration. Jaypore advocates for a future where designers work alongside craft communities as partners, building relationships based on mutual respect, dialogue, and long-term commitment. The film also highlights a new generation of makers who use digital platforms and direct-to-consumer storytelling to document processes, build communities, and reclaim ownership of their narratives.
The campaign is conceived as a long-term initiative, extending through digital storytelling, community conversations, and immersive experiences across Jaypore's 47 stores. These stories form a living archive aimed at fostering deeper engagement with craft and strengthening the connection between karigars (artisans) and consumers.
The campaign film is available on Jaypore's Instagram page. The event was hosted at Club Jolie's, Century Mills, Worli, Mumbai.
