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fashion
Published 2nd May 2021
Indian artisans struggle to survive in fashion s invisible supply chains
Written by Oscar Holland, CNN
Before the pandemic, Gayatri Khanna s Mumbai-based embroidery firm used to work on luxury garments and accessories for some of the world s biggest fashion houses.
Now, she said, some of them won t even answer her calls. These are people who we have spoken to for years and years, she said during a phone interview. And suddenly there s no news, or even a What s going on? Or, How is the business?
Amid a coronavirus crisis that is pushing India s hospitals to breaking point, collapsing demand for apparel in the West is also having a devastating knock-on effect on the country s craftspeople. Luxury labels that have long depended on the intricate work of embroiderers and beading artists are scaling back production, leaving some suppliers unable to cover costs or pay workers.