Manaben
A Familiar Face, Thousands of Miles from Home
I wasn’t expecting to find my grandmother in a small village in Kutch.
Yet somehow, I did.
Her name was Manaben, the eldest of the Rabari women who welcomed me into their community. She carried herself with the quiet confidence of someone who had spent a lifetime creating with her hands. There was a gentleness about her, but also a quiet strength that needed no words.
Although we didn’t share a language, we understood one another.
As I watched her embroider, I found myself thinking about my grandmother in Ondo, Nigeria. She, too, had spent her life working with cloth. As a tailor, she believed that every stitch mattered and that what we made should be cherished, repaired, and passed from one generation to the next.
Looking at Manaben, I realized that same wisdom existed here, thousands of miles away.
Different country.
Different language.
Different traditions.
Yet the same hands. The same patience. The same pride in craftsmanship.
The Rabari women have embroidered for generations, passing their skills from mother to daughter. Their stitches are more than decoration—they carry history, identity, and memories of the community they belong to.
Watching them work reminded me that the most valuable things in life cannot be rushed.
Every mirror was stitched by hand.
Every thread chosen with intention.
Every piece reflected hours of quiet concentration.
One afternoon, before I left, Manaben wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace.
We didn’t need words.
In that moment, I wasn’t simply a designer visiting another country. I was a granddaughter being reminded of where I came from.
That embrace is something I’ll carry with me long after the jackets are worn.
Whenever I look at the embroidered KUTCH pieces, I don’t just see beautiful craftsmanship.
I see Manaben’s smile.
I remember my grandmother’s hands.
And I’m reminded that cloth has an extraordinary way of connecting people across cultures, generations, and continents.
Sometimes, family isn’t only the people you’re born to.
Sometimes, you find them halfway around the world.
