COLLABORATIONS
Envisioned for the Dior Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2025–26 show, ‘The Flowers We Grew’ is an immersive installation of interdisciplinary works conceived by Indian visual artist Rithika Merchant, presented at the Musée Rodin in Paris.
Commissioned by Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Dior’s Women’s Lines, this body of work honours the wild, fierce, and powerful matriarchs of Rithika Merchant’s maternal lineage from Kerala. Realised by the highly skilled artisans of Chanakya School of Craft and Chanakya International, under the creative direction of Karishma Swali, these works embody a poetic intersection of ancestral tradition, storytelling, and contemporary craftsmanship.
The themes draw from the artist’s personal experiences, rooted in the past, present, and future, and inspired by the formidable matriarchs of her family. Through a distinct lexicon of symbols, she examines how ancestral feminine power and wisdom can be reclaimed and transformed — becoming a catalyst for awakening, enlightenment, and education. Her signature fluid watercolour brushstrokes were meticulously reinterpreted in thread, resulting in 37 monumental panels and 16 circular compositions. Spanning over 144,000 hours of dedication by 306 artisans, these interdisciplinary works create a dynamic dialogue between contemporary art and traditional craftsmanship. Rooted in deeply personal memory, the works challenge traditional conceptions of women’s creative agency, resonating with the core principles of Chanakya School of Craft.
“Rithika's work struck a deeply personal chord, as the resilience of Kerala's matriarchs powerfully aligned with my commitment to honoring women's histories through craft.”
Karishma Swali,
Creative Director,
Chanakya International and Chanakya School of Craft.
CSC x RITHIKA MERCHANT for
CHRISTIAN DIOR
Envisioned for the Dior Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2025–26 show, ‘The Flowers We Grew’ is an immersive installation of interdisciplinary works conceived by Indian visual artist Rithika Merchant, presented at the Musée Rodin in Paris.
Commissioned by Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Dior’s Women’s Lines, this body of work honours the wild, fierce, and powerful matriarchs of Rithika Merchant’s maternal lineage from Kerala. Realised by the highly skilled artisans of Chanakya School of Craft and Chanakya International, under the creative direction of Karishma Swali, these works embody a poetic intersection of ancestral tradition, storytelling, and contemporary craftsmanship.
The themes draw from the artist’s personal experiences, rooted in the past, present, and future, and inspired by the formidable matriarchs of her family. Through a distinct lexicon of symbols, she examines how ancestral feminine power and wisdom can be reclaimed and transformed — becoming a catalyst for awakening, enlightenment, and education. Her signature fluid watercolour brushstrokes were meticulously reinterpreted in thread, resulting in 37 monumental panels and 16 circular compositions. Spanning over 144,000 hours of dedication by 306 artisans, these interdisciplinary works create a dynamic dialogue between contemporary art and traditional craftsmanship. Rooted in deeply personal memory, the works challenge traditional conceptions of women’s creative agency, resonating with the core principles of Chanakya School of Craft.
