Anokhi is a network of interconnected love, friendship, and family stories.
The John and Faith Story
He was a Rajput nobleman's son. She was a British missionary's daughter. By the Rambagh Palace pool in Jaipur, they first met, and the rest, as they say, is history. Faith was mesmerized by the vibrant colors and intricate designs of Indian textiles as well as the block printing technique that had formerly been a prominent part of the culture in and around Jaipur. John, a devoted philanthropist, wished to prevent the trade from dying out and to bring back a stable source of income for the several artisans who produce fine hand-printed fabric.
Anokhi was so born. Their prints made their debut in London in 1970, and Anokhi swiftly gained a passionate following throughout the world.
Melanie and Meryl's tale:
Melanie and Meryl first connected in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at a Moms & Tots meeting for local expat mothers. The two women quickly grew close friends as they sipped coffee while their children played. Both of them were not the sort to remain at home and do nothing, despite being constrained in their movements in a society where males dominate the corporate sector and women aren't even allowed to drive. After only a few months of getting to know one another, the two friends in 1984 devised a plan to sell the stunning "Anokhi" prints that Melanie had been coveting on her excursions to India and the UK. Together, they left for India, where they later met Faith and John in a friend's residence. They returned home with suitcases full of Anokhi products, which they then used to host their own take on tupperware parties at the residences of the neighborhood's other expat ladies.
The two women had their Anokhi parties to great success, and by the time they returned to the United States in 1987, they had made enough money to build their first store on Newbury Street in Boston.
The Gabrielle and Will Story: In the fall of 1990, Melanie gave an Anokhi quilt to the young lady who would eventually become her future daughter-in-law. Just before leaving for college, Melanie's longtime friend Gabrielle was visiting with her mother. Gabrielle fell head over heals for the gorgeous designs that filled each store when Melanie took them to her Anokhi stores. The quilt rapidly rose to the top of her favorite items.
During Gabrielle's junior year of college, the two families traveled to Rajasthan together. Gabrielle made the decision to focus her senior thesis on Indian woodblock printing after getting to know John and Faith and visiting the Anokhi company. She went back to India for her senior year to record the incredible techniques used to make block prints, and she returned once more after graduation to work as a print designer at Anokhi. It turned out that Will, Melanie's son, was in India at the same time, and they used every opportunity to explore the area together. In 1999, they got hitched.
The Rachel and Pritam Story
After earning a degree in fashion and printed textiles from Central St. Martins School of Art and Design in London, Rachel Bracken-Singh joined Anokhi in 1993 for a ten-week internship. Rachel was gifted, determined, and had a strong passion for traditional crafts. Her 10 weeks soon grew into six months, and eventually she was hired permanently by Anokhi. As Faith's apprentice, Rachel collaborated closely with all of the artisans, including the block carvers, printers, dyers, expert tailors, and embroiderers, whose work must be combined to create each extraordinary item of Anokhi clothing.
She is currently Anokhi's Head Designer and Design Director as well as the co-founder of the Anokhi Museum, a stunning facility devoted to preserving the background and methods of woodblock printing.
Rachel wed Pritam, the son of John and Faith, who is now in charge of Anokhi's business operations and has taken over the organization's several noteworthy philanthropic and creative projects in the Jaipur area.
Today:
Time moves forward. In 2007, Melanie and Meryl, who are still close friends, closed their retail businesses. Meryl moved on to other endeavors while Melanie set up a retail website for Anokhi USA. Gabrielle is the photographer and graphic designer for Anokhi USA and still owns that original priceless quilt. As Rachel assumed her present position as the company's head designer, Faith retired. To our regret and shock, John Singh passed away in 2016. Pritam, like his father before him, is a visionary who is constantly looking for ways to develop and use the Anokhi company to enrich the lives of those who live in and around it.
There are other Anokhi tales besides these. The hands of people with their own legendary tales to tell have repeatedly branded each piece of Anokhi linen. Who knows what daydreams are swirled into each vat of indigo dye as each wooden block is lovingly crafted by someone with a unique story? Each Anokhi work is special to us since every square inch has been given time and love.
Every person involved in every stage of production at Anokhi contributes their own special touch as every bolt of white cloth gradually transforms into a richly printed work of art, just as how all of our tales come together separately to become a unified whole. As your Anokhi possessions become a part of your personal narrative, we hope that you will be astounded by their beauty and history as they are.
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