About eight years ago, we embarked on a journey in the hopes to reconnect with our culture. We literally crossed an ocean to start this venture. PleatsPlease Designer Studio is a dream that has enabled us to create our name in the fashion industry. We are always #PatternedToPlease to our valuable clientele. Chikankari is an art deeply rooted in each and every corner of Lucknow. Our artisans keep the esteemed art of Chikankari alive and we curate this art, spreading our culture all over the world. We started as NRIs Ashima and Rohit, and now, we are the proud founders of PleatsPlease Chikankari.
Inception
PleatsPlease was born out of a quiet longing — to return to something we never truly left: our roots. Raised far from Lucknow, we carried its memories in stories, in textures, in the delicate rhythm of Chikankari. It wasn’t just embroidery — it was identity, stitched softly into time. Through every pleat, every pattern, we began to translate heritage into something wearable. What started as a search for belonging became a studio of storytelling — one thread at a time. At PleatsPlease, we don’t just craft garments. We preserve emotion. Because for us, culture isn’t in the past — it’s in every stitch forward.
Inspiration
Our inspiration lies in the hands that never signed their work, yet passed it down through generations — quietly, patiently. In the narrow alleys of Lucknow, where time slows down to the pace of a needle. In the folds of forgotten heirlooms, the scent of old trunks, and the stories told through thread, not words. Chikankari is more than an art — it is resilience, memory, and grace woven into fabric. We were drawn to its silence, its symmetry, and its soul. PleatsPlease is inspired by women who carry history in how they drape, and by artisans who preserve it — stitch by stitch.
Innovation
At PleatsPlease, innovation begins with intention.
We reimagine age-old Chikankari through modern silhouettes, refined tailoring, and thoughtful details. From timeless techniques to contemporary expressions, we design with a future-forward lens — without losing touch with the past. Every piece is where tradition evolves, not disappears.
