A dynamic design studio based in Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Morii was born in 2019, out of an ever-growing reverence for Indian craft and a taste for the contemporary. Morii is an amalgamation, a union of two, past and future.
It is an artistic interpretation of age-old legacies. An erudite conversation in a language fading away. A manifestation of global sensibilities rooted in Indian traditions.
Every creation of Morii is formed out of a slow, meditative process and anchored in the strength of an unwavering relationship with our makers.
Brinda, during a semester exchange in Japan as a design student, was deeply influenced by the Japanese approach to design, particularly from TAMA Art University. For the first time, she understood how to express her personal artistic style within the framework of design. This experience showed her how Japanese culture values tradition and integrates it into daily life. Through the concept of Mori girls, a subculture valuing nature's abundance, she discovered the Japanese meaning of "Mori" as forest.
Morii, embodies the essence of nature and spirit. It reflects our commitment to sourcing natural materials and collaborating with artisans rooted in heritage. It symbolises a return to a time when villages were self-sustainable, much like a forest ecosystem.
We believe in…
Ethical & Local
Every stakeholder, including the environment, involved in the process of creating Morii artworks is treated with respect. From locally sourced raw materials to azo free dyes, we strive to include ethical and local processes at every step of creation. All our artisans are paid fair wages for their work.
Co-creation
We work together, in tandem with our artisan partners, truly incorporating the tenets of co-creating. Our artworks are a culmination of the synergy between craftsmanship and design, between skill and strategy.
Zero Waste
We work together, in tandem with our artisan partners, truly incorporating the tenets of co-creating. Our artworks are a culmination of the synergy between craftsmanship and design, between skill and strategy.
Bringing work to women
Morii truly believes in the power of craft to transform lives. By bringing work to the doorstep of the craftswomen in rural communities, Morii ensures that craft continues to enable people.
Journey
Our journey started with our founder Brinda Dudhat, who is a textile design graduate from NID, Ahmedabad. She worked with multiple craft clusters across the country from Sujini to Kalamkari. Over the years she realized the possibility that exists within the craft communities of India. In working with these artisans spread across the rural expanse of India, she found her calling. With a vision to redefine the intersection of art and design through the means of craft, Morii was created.
Brinda is as much an intuitive artist as she is an innovative designer. In her passions, Morii has found direction and in her values, an unfaltering ideology.
Today, Morii works with over eighty women artisans from more than seven different villages. Step-by-step and stitch-by-stitch we have build up our community of artisans and set up structures that enable us to keep creating. Starting with a deep dive within the craft we build trust and relationships amongst the community. Through workshops, we bring women together to celebrate and develop their skills. These artisans then receive work on their doorstep.
We have on ground co-ordinators stationed near the craft clusters who facilitate a smooth interaction between the artisans and the studio team. Monthly visits to the craft cluster for sampling, development and interaction, ensure that we keep creating together.
Our Community
What started as an attempt to explore the intersection of art and design through craft has now created an impact of its own. Today, Morii presents hand embroidered textiles as story-tellers. Through a piece of fabric, age old narratives have found their way into modern everyday lives. We have found a medium to encapsulate the warmth that is imbibed and inherent in creations of craft and made them available to communities beyond the traditional ones.
Through textiles as wall arts, Morii has brought craft into contemporary spaces and conversations. These wall arts have now become contemporary heirlooms, with value enough to last generations. They are a legacy created by the current generation of Indian craftspeople. A heritage birthed anew, evolved into a language of today.