Indigo Shibori-Dyed Cotton and Silk Shawl, "Indigo Helix"

“I’m Shahin Akhtar and I’m from Delhi. I am a creative designer and am very passionate about my work. I’ve worked in the export industry for the last 25 years designing clothes, and I felt like going in a more creative direction. I became interested in the Japanese dyeing technique called shibori, and I found it to be unique and challenging.

“I taught myself shibori by reading about it and practicing it. At first, it was very difficult to for me and my workers to practice this art form. But with a lot of practice, we finally mastered this art.

“I create my own designs, and it has been very exciting to try a new design every day. At times, I’ve gotten much better results than expected and it’s encouraged me to make more. When I’ve failed to create what I set out to do, it’s motivated me to try again to get better results.

“I use natural dyes and natural fabrics like silk, cotton and linen. When I see my pieces after dyeing, each piece has a different color and story to tell. Replicating them is the most challenging part.

“Most of my workers have been with me for the past 10 to 12 years. They are very talented and love this art form just like me. I want to help them develop their skills further. I wish to provide them with health insurance and educational benefits for their children.

“I want to keep creating new and exclusive designs every time. Although I am not teaching this art at the moment, I’d definitely love to teach others someday, and spread this art form. I hope this art will become more popular in the future.”