I9 Couture Design Studio

Over at 34b Idgah Katghar in Agra, we have our little studio called I9 Couture Design Studio. It is located in a part of the city that feels very old and lived-in. Designing clothes is what we do all day long. We have a few tables set up for cutting fabric and a couple of machines that are almost always running. It is not like those big designer showrooms you see on TV. Our place is more about the actual work—measuring, chalking out patterns, and sewing things together. The floor is usually covered in little bits of thread and discarded pins. We have a lot of regulars who come to us because they want something that fits them properly, rather than something off a rack in a big store. The Idgah area can be a bit dusty and loud, but once you step inside the studio, it is all about the cloth. We do not have a lot of finished pieces on display because most of what we make is for someone specific. We spend a lot of time looking at different textures and deciding which border looks best on a dupatta. It is a hands-on job and our fingers often have small needle pricks, but that is just how it goes when you are making things by hand. It is a humble place, but we take our daily tasks seriously enough to keep the doors open.