The Sitara Edit: Finding My Kind of Festive

I have always loved Chikankari, but when it came to festive dressing, I often found myself wanting something a little different.

Sometimes, festive wear felt like too much. Too ornate, too embellished, too far removed from the way I actually liked to dress. I wanted something that felt special without being overwhelming. Something elegant, but easy. Something I could wear to a festive gathering and still feel like myself.

That thought stayed with me as I began working on The Sitara Edit, Amhara’s festive edit for 2026.

I wanted to explore what festive Chikankari could look like when we kept things simple. When the craft remained at the centre, and the embellishment was just enough to catch the light. Delicate Moti work adds a gentle shimmer to the garments, bringing a festive touch without taking away from the beauty of the Chikankari itself.

For me, it was about finding that balance — between dressed up and understated, between tradition and the way we want to dress today.

A little more sparkle, still very much Amhara

Amhara has always been about bringing Chikankari into the everyday. Clothes that feel contemporary, comfortable and easy to make your own. With The Sitara Edit, I wanted to carry that same sensibility into festive dressing.

The idea wasn't to create something entirely different from Amhara, but to explore another side of it. To take the craft I love and give it a little more occasion, with delicate Moti work, considered details and silhouettes that still feel familiar.

Festive, but not overdone. Special, but not reserved for just one occasion.

Inspired by the city we come from

There was something important about bringing this collection to life in Lucknow.

This is a city whose relationship with Chikankari runs deep. Its architecture, old doorways, courtyards and quiet streets carry a sense of history without needing much embellishment of their own. I wanted the campaign to draw from that feeling — allowing the city to be part of the story, without making it the entire story.

The photographs are a meeting of the craft, the clothes and the place they come from. Nothing too staged, nothing too elaborate. Just beautiful clothes in a city that has always understood the beauty of detail.

Finding the right amount of festive

With The Sitara Edit, I hope to offer something to those who love Chikankari but want their festive wardrobe to feel a little more understated. For those who appreciate the small details, the delicacy of Moti work and the feeling of being dressed up without feeling unlike themselves.

Perhaps that is what festive dressing means to me: not necessarily more, but just enough.

A little shimmer. A little celebration. And a whole lot of Chikankari.

The Sitara Edit — Festive 2026, by Amhara.

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