Our Artisans
Rivarna is not a factory. It is a studio — a small, deliberate space where four artisans bring decades of combined craft to every garment. Each piece is signed, numbered, and irreplaceable.
Priya Mehta
Lead Painter & Founder
Specialty
Botanical & Floral Motifs
Experience
14 years
Priya's journey began in the textile workshops of Jaipur, where she spent years studying natural dye techniques and traditional block printing. Her signature style — intricate botanicals rendered in earthy pigments — defines the Rivarna aesthetic. Every brushstroke carries the weight of a tradition she has spent a lifetime refining.
"I don't paint on fabric. I paint with it."
Arjun Nair
Senior Artisan
Specialty
Abstract & Geometric Patterns
Experience
9 years
Trained in fine arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, Arjun brings a contemporary sensibility to ancient craft. His geometric compositions draw from Warli and Madhubani traditions, reinterpreted through a modern lens. He oversees the studio's quality standards and mentors junior artisans.
"Geometry is the language the universe speaks. I just translate it onto silk."
Meera Iyer
Textile Specialist
Specialty
Natural Dyes & Surface Preparation
Experience
11 years
Meera is the quiet force behind every piece's foundation. Her expertise in natural mordanting and fabric preparation ensures that Rivarna's colours remain vivid for decades. She sources pigments from across India — indigo from Gujarat, madder from Rajasthan, turmeric from Kerala.
"The fabric must be ready to receive the art. That preparation is itself an art."
Kavya Sharma
Embellishment Artist
Specialty
Zardozi & Mixed Media
Experience
7 years
Kavya bridges painting and embroidery, adding dimension to flat surfaces through hand-stitched zardozi, mirror work, and beading. Her pieces are the most labour-intensive in the collection — a single scarf can take up to three weeks to complete. The result is something that cannot be replicated by any machine.
"Every bead is a decision. Every stitch is a commitment."
The Process
Every Rivarna piece passes through six stages of craft before it reaches you. There are no shortcuts. There is no automation.
01
We source only natural fibres — pure silk, organic cotton, and handloom linen — from certified weavers across India. Each bolt is inspected for weave consistency and hand-feel before entering the studio.
02
Fabrics are washed, mordanted with natural fixatives, and stretched on custom frames. This process, which can take up to 48 hours, ensures the paint bonds permanently with the fibre rather than sitting on the surface.
03
Each design begins as a pencil sketch, refined through multiple iterations before being transferred lightly to the fabric. Our artisans work from original compositions — no templates, no transfers, no digital printing.
04
Using a combination of fabric-safe pigments, natural dyes, and hand-mixed colours, our artisans paint each piece freehand. Layers are built slowly, with drying time between each application to achieve depth and luminosity.
05
Once complete, each piece is heat-set to permanently fix the colours, then hand-washed to remove any residual fixatives. A final quality inspection ensures every piece meets our standards before it is tagged and packaged.
06
Every Rivarna piece is photographed and catalogued with the artisan's name, the materials used, and the date of completion. This record travels with the garment as a certificate of authenticity.
Browse our current collection or commission a bespoke piece made entirely to your vision.