One Textile Adventure; Two Storied Textile Collections

The Calico Museum of Textiles

Founded in the textile city of Ahmedabad in 1949 and managed by the Sarabhai Foundation, this is the finest collection of Indian textiles in the world.

Housed in a complex, known as ‘The Retreat’, that forms part of the Sarabhai family estate. Sacred textiles and artefacts, such as South Indian bronzes and miniature paintings, are displayed in the palatial Haveli with its formal garden and water features, while the main galleries run through a series of wood-fronted buildings set around a courtyard, or ‘Chauk’. Home to treasures ranging from 15th century trade textiles and costumes of the Mughal courts, to carpets, regional embroideries and Gujarati beadwork, the atmospheric galleries encapsulate the history of India’s textile tradition. 

Visitors are encouraged to get as close to the exhibits as possible; barring the protective coverings that are essential in a traditional, non-climate-controlled environment, nothing comes between the viewer and the exhibit. This welcoming approach makes visiting a truly immersive experience that enhances your appreciation and understanding of India’s extraordinary textile heritage. 

The Wazirs Collection

The Wazirs have been collecting antique embroideries, block prints, clothes, costumes, and other rare textiles from all over the Indian sub-continent for over half a century. We asked the founder's son, Salim Wazir, to share the fascinating story.

“It was my father who started collecting vintage and antique embroideries and textiles," explains Salim Wazir He had originally started collecting old miniature paintings from various regions of India, but very soon fake and duplicates came into market and his interest changed from paintings to textiles. 

My family is from the Kutch region of Gujarat, which is a big area with many communities and clans, all of whom have their own style of embroideries and, in the 1960s, it was full of beautiful embroideries and textiles. When he first started collecting, my father travelled all over Kutch buying different embroideries then, after about three years, he began to feel that he wanted to compare Kutch work with embroideries from neighbouring regions, so he went to other parts of Gujarat, then to other states in India and then to Afghanistan and the Sindh region of Pakistan. His intention, right from the start, was to create a collection for future generations so every time he came across a duplicated piece, he would buy them both, one to keep and one to sell on. There are now 3,000 pieces in the family’s personal collection and twice – or even three times – that in the ‘sell’ pile.

The variety of work in the collection is amazing – everything from ethnic and traditional garments, to bridal textiles and homewares and pieces range in age from 30 to more than 100 years old. I have many favourites, but I particularly like Mochi embroidery, Rabari embroidery, kantha embroidery and Bandhni ( tie dyed ) pieces.