Narendra Sejpal can read fabrics. The second-generation owner of Gurjar Kutir Udyog, the only store in Mumbai that sells true Kutchi embroidery around the year, can touch an antique fabric and correctly guess its birthplace and age. Thirty-five years ago, he had travelled the dust bowls of Kutch, in Gujarat, and Barmer, in Rajasthan, expanding his knowledge and building relationships with artisans, which continue to hold him in good stead today. "Out of 30 days [in a month], I used to travel for 20 days, collect all the stock and bring it back," he says, in Gujarati.

"I used to take a taxi and visit small-small villages. I used to leave at 7 am, and eat [directly] at 10 pm. My room at Prince Hotel [in Bhuj] used to be covered with sand. The contacts we made 30 years ago continue to supply us till today." Kutchi embroidery, the psychedelic blend of hand-embroidery and mirror-work from Kutch, comes in three styles. The most expensive pieces are worn pieces: a woman, usually from the Rabari tribe, would have draped it across her person as a backless choli or ghagra for most of her life. These pieces, just like the women, age beautifully, and are reimagined to create a modern outfit. The second is patches, made-to-order swatches of fabric, in which either the artisan or someone like Narendra comes up with a new design. These are hand-embroidered borders that play supporting roles on cotton kurtis and saris. The third is the machine-made fabrics. At Gurjar, you can get this from '200-400 per metre. They aren't as easy on the eye as the antique pieces, but at least they're easy on the pocket.