Vilayat and Ami – A Serendipitous Meeting
Sometimes, you meet people who change how you view your work—or even your life. For me, that happened about ten years ago when I met Vilayat and Ami.
Vilayat and Ami are women from the Kutch Node community, known for their colorful quilts. ("Dhadki~Kutch - Quilt Making Craft Documentation", n.d.) Their remote village is far from Bhuj, but they occasionally bring vibrant, handmade quilts into Bhuj market, where we met.
Initially, I was just another buyer. From around 2012 to 2014, I purchased many quilts from them—not because I needed so many (I really didn’t!) but because a lovely friendship had started to grow.
I wanted to support their work and ensure they remained consistently employed. So in 2015, we began experimenting together. We combined their quilt-making and patchwork skills on a double layer of cotton—without the stuffing—and created lengths of fabric that could be used in Madame Hall designs. It was a big win all around: we developed a textile perfect for cooler seasons that evolved into a range of jackets and vests. Even better, it provided Ami and Vilayat with a regular income. And as an unexpected bonus, it helped Madame Hall become zero waste, transforming every scrap of fabric into highly desirable, wearable pieces.
But even as our collaboration grew, I couldn’t ignore their challenging conditions. Their village is dry, exposed, scorchingly hot, and their mud huts have unreliable electricity with minimal facilities. ("Kutch village hopes coveted tag will bring basic amenities", 2021) It amazed me that they produced such stunning textiles under these circumstances.
By 2022, after several years of collaboration, I felt they needed better working conditions—somewhere safe and secure, with decent lighting, fresh air movement, and a space that was easy to maintain. In 2022, I decided to create an embroidery room for each of them in their village. These rooms have become so much more than just places to work, thanks to their tiled floors, spacious verandas, and an abundance of natural light. They've become locations where women from the community can gather to do needlework, share ideas, and simply be together.
It’s important to me that Ami and Vilayat feel creatively satisfied with their work. While I provide the materials, I encourage them to incorporate color and embroidery designs that suit their own aesthetic. That freedom—the very thing that first drew me to their work—remains at the heart of our collaboration.
What began as a simple buyer-seller exchange turned into one of my most rewarding collaborations, formed in trust, friendship, and respect.
I know my customers are sensitive to the “energy” of their clothes. And I truly believe the positive vibes generated by our beautiful relationship with Ami and Vilayat are evident to anyone who wears these pieces.
It’s important to me that Ami and Vilayat feel creatively satisfied with their work. While I provide the materials, I encourage them to incorporate color and embroidery designs that suit their own aesthetic. That freedom—the very thing that first drew me to their work—remains at the heart of our collaboration.