In 2000-01, Divya Bindra took an MBA from the Fore School of Management only to realize that her calling lay elsewhere. While a lucrative if somewhat dreary ascent up sundry corporate ladders appealed to the mind, Divya's heart was beating furiously for a passion that had developed since childhood- design, something that she had not formally trained in, but only indulged in as a hobby over the years.
Her friend Vandana Sawhney on the other hand, learnt design in New York - at Nassau College and interned with Givenchy. Returning to Delhi in 1994, she set up a studio cum workshop in the basement of her home in New Friends Colony and embarked on a successful, albeit low-key career as a designer of formalwear to the rich and the famous. Within a few years, demand was far more than she could cope with on her own.
Divya & Vandana had known each other for years, quite unaware of the fortuitous meeting of the minds that was to occur in the spring of 2001 that resulted almost instantaneously, in the birth of their label "Dabiri".
Dabiri, derived from the Arabic means "the Golden Thread" and the name is evocative of the exquisite traditional embroidery that the duo incorporate in their creations - Zardozi, Lakhnavi Chikankari and Zari.
Dabiri's first preview was held in March, 2001 followed by a full showing in the Fall of 2002 and international presentations in Indonesia, Hong Kong, London and Dubai. Dabiri also retails at Carma in Mehrauli.
Dabiri's niche is the very top echelon of Indian couture and consequently its ensembles combine the finest traditional and intricate craftwork & material with modern sensibilities in cut color and fabric.
The fabrics mainly consumed are georgette, chiffon, pure silks, real zari brocades, urtu, khinkhab etc. The forte of the label lies in legendary embroideries, very formal rich ensembles with intricate details, old patterns and blocks sourced from the art of the Mughals are printed on the fabrics finely embroidered using age old traditional techniques of zardosi. Material used for the embroidery ranges from orthodox succha silver n gold zari, succha gotta, salma, dabka, sitara, kalabatun, badia, nakshi etc to the trendy pearl- fine swarovski crystals to the exotic pearls.
Chikankari is also done with exquisite delicacy of details with variety of stitches like Bakhia, Tepchi , Keel Kangan, bulbul, sidhaul and ghas patti along with jaali work and murree which creates a magical embossed effect.