Inside the house of Özel

Under two mango trees

We are makers. Twenty-eight expert craftspeople, working in an old bungalow with a leisurely courtyard that curves around two mango trees and a frill of bougainvillea. Here, craft is not hurried. It is watched, touched, adjusted, and returned to until the object has presence. By the time it leaves our atelier, it has already lived many small lives in the hands of our artisans.

India - Established 2018
By the numbers

The house, in figures.

  • 28
    Master craftspeople, from different corners of India
  • 11
    Hands every piece passes through, on average.
  • 14
    Days, average, it takes to handcraft one piece
  • 1
    Object made at a time
A small lexicon

Five techniques we keep alive.

Each piece in the house is built from one of these five inherited methods
  • 01

    Zardozi

    ज़रदोज़ी

    Metallic thread embroidery using zari, sequins, beads, pearls, and raised surface work — one of Özel’s strongest festive craft languages.

  • 02

    Aari Kadai

    आरी कढ़ाई

    Fine hook-needle embroidery used for delicate beadwork, sequins, thread detailing, and intricate surface ornamentation.

  • 03

    Jadau

    जड़ाऊ

    Stones embedded in molten gold without claws — heat-set, never glued.

  • 04

    Nakkashi

    नक़्क़ाशी

    Hand engraving and carved detailing on metal surfaces, used to create depth, ornament, pattern, and an old-world jewellery finish.

  • 05

    Repoussé

    रेपुसे

    A metalworking technique where the surface is shaped from behind to create raised, sculptural relief — giving jewellery and metal bags depth, dimension, and an art-object finish.