The Sustainable Art of Indian Embroidery

This summer, a brand whose expertise in embroidery stood out on the SwimShow floor. Introducing an impeccable style in embroidering ready-to-wear pieces and accessories is Benaras by Citrus. Flocking from India and making its pieces between Italy and India - each style in the collection tells a story. We connected with the team to share an insight on the art of embroidery and how sustainability drives the brand to create art in every piece, designed.

SS: Tell us about Benaras by Citrus. Where does the name come from?

B: Varanasi , formerly known under the name of Benaras, is one of the most colorful and fascinating places on earth. Situated on the ghats of river Ganges, it is one of the oldest cities in the world and its spiritual character is our brand’s main inspiration.

Benaras strives to create pieces, inspired by the same understanding, that enables women to relax and breathe, and enjoy the tranquility of feeling one with the universe.

SS: Tell us what sustainability in fashion means to you.

B: We are a sustainable brand. We have been adjudged as a winner in the sustainable fashion category by Common Objective platform. We practice sustainable fashion and ethical working not only on the product but with the whole cycle of production and human relationship. Our brand fundamentals from the beginning have been to emphasize on slow fashion, where we want to involve a maximum number of hands in every process of production and design.

SS: What are some favorite pieces from the brand?

B: The most favorited pieces by our customers are our aztec inspired embroidery and this season our Congo collection was liked by most of our buyers and fellow exhibitors.

SS: What can you tell us about the art of embroidery?

B: Each and every piece is embroidered individually by hand; and not only are the fabrics used for these garments hand woven on traditional handlooms; but, the beauty of our brand is to only use natural hand woven fabrics for our collections. The embroidery on our garments are quite intricate and these are done by our skilled artisans . All the skilled artisans are from our state and have the gift of Almighty in their hand to be able to embroider the garments with such finesse that the front and back of the embroidery looks so clean and elegant.

SS: How was your experience on Miami Beach this summer? What was your favorite thing about our magic city?

B: We love Miami a lot. What always bring us back apart from our participation at Miami Swim Week, are the people of Miami who always have a smile on their face. The city looks amazing to us because of the diversity of the people and the lovely cuisine choices we have all over the city. We love the people living here and the warmth they share. 

Every time we come back, the city amazes us with the multiple choices in terms of tourism and lifestyle. 

Follow @benarasbycitrus on Instagram and stay updated with their effortly conscious, effortless looks.