A new exhibition in Istanbul — Woven Legacies: Celebrating India’s Textile Heritage — has renewed international attention to India’s rich textile traditions. Running from 27–29 November, the three-day event brings together rare archival garments, Kashmiri masterpieces, and contemporary Indian design, offering a multi-century narrative of craftsmanship and cultural exchange.
At the centre of the exhibition are 17 historic pieces from Princess Esra Birgen’s Chowmahalla Palace archive. The Turkish-born former wife of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Princess Esra, is celebrated for restoring Hyderabad’s Chowmahalla and Falaknuma Palaces — an effort recognised with the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award in 2010.
Her contributions include:
• an 18th-century printed textile,
• a zari-embroidered jacket,
• a child’s ceremonial outfit, and
• embroidered juttis.
These are displayed alongside more than 50 textiles sourced from collectors and craft specialists in Türkiye and India — including archival pieces, vintage Kashmiri shawls, reproductions by Kashmir Loom, and works by contemporary Indian designers.
The exhibition highlights how India’s hand-driven textile traditions — from weaving to embroidery — have travelled, transformed, and influenced design beyond South Asia. By juxtaposing historical garments with modern reinterpretations, it documents the movement of techniques, motifs, and materials across regions, particularly between India and Türkiye.
Rather than treating heritage textiles as museum objects, the showcase positions them as part of an active craft ecosystem shaped by artisans, designers, collectors, and cross-border collaborations. This reframing strengthens the global relevance of Indian textile culture at a time when handloom knowledge and artisanal skills face economic pressures at home.
The event, organized with the Consulate General of India, suggests a growing appetite for international platforms that merge heritage preservation with contemporary design. As India deepens cultural diplomacy and creative-industry outreach, exhibitions like Woven Legacies may serve as influential touchpoints — elevating craft visibility, strengthening market interest, and opening space for new Indo-Turkish collaborations in textiles and fashion.
