Sampling & development
Send artwork, a tech pack or even a photograph. We return header swatches and strike-offs in your materials and colourways, with per-design costing — so your line review works from real embroidery, not renderings.
Hand embroidery from India, made for the world’s runways
Charisma Fashion India is a hand embroidery and beading house in Mumbai. We opened in 2000 — for 26 years we have developed and produced embellishment for couture, bridal and eveningwear labels, every bead, sequin and stitch placed by hand.
Since 200026 years in the craft
100% by handBeading, zardozi & appliqué
Italy · France · UKTop designer houses served
Swatch to bulkSampling through full production
An embroidery house, run like a partner — not a factory floor
Charisma opened in 2000 and has spent 26 years in this industry. Our office and atelier are in Mumbai, India — 344-346 Samuel Street, A K Chamber, Masjid Bunder, Mumbai 400003 — where our karigars practise techniques passed down through generations.
For clients in the United States, our sales representative is based in Dallas, Texas. Every development is reviewed by our Mumbai team before it ships, and production is managed day to day by the same team — so a sampling question never disappears into a queue.
We work the way couture houses work: artwork first, a swatch in hand before any commitment, and honest timelines quoted per design — never off a rate card.
The craft
Six techniques cover most of what our clients develop with us. All of them are executed by hand on the adda frame — the same way they have been done for centuries.
01
Hand beading
Glass beads, bugles and pearls couched and stitched into dense all-over fields or fine motifs — our most-ordered work, from scarves and ponchos to full gowns.
02
Zardozi
The royal gold-work of India: dabka, nakshi and metallic threads raised over padding for couture and bridal pieces that need real weight and light.
03
Sequin & crystal work
Paillettes, sequins and crystals layered for red-carpet shine — set densely enough to survive a full evening and a close-up camera.
04
Motifs on tulle
Embroidered motifs built directly on tulle and net, ready for your atelier to place, cut and apply — a long-running programme for eveningwear houses in Europe and the US.
05
Embroidery on lace
Beading and thread work executed over fine lace grounds, developed with lace houses for bridal and lingerie-adjacent collections.
06
Aari & thread work
Fine chain-stitch aari and silk-thread embroidery for softer, painterly surfaces — florals, shading and tonal work that reads like drawing.
The craft, up close
Finished pieces from our own archive — runway, red carpet and bridal work. The houses behind them stay private; the embroidery speaks for itself.
What we produce
Four kinds of engagement cover nearly everything clients bring us. If your project sits between them, ask — sampling is how we find out together.
Full-piece embellishment
Complete gowns, bodices and panels embroidered to pattern — zardozi, beading and crystal work at couture density, checked piece by piece against the approved swatch before dispatch.
Motifs & components
Embroidered motifs on tulle, beaded trims, borders and appliqué components your own atelier applies — the flexible way to add hand work to a collection without moving garment production.
Scarves, ponchos & lace programmes
Hand-beaded scarves, cashmere ponchos and embroidered tops, plus ongoing embroidery programmes on supplied lace — repeat styles carried season after season with the same hands.
How a project runs
Four steps, the same whether it is a single bridal piece or a full production order.
- STEP 1
Enquiry & artwork
Tell us what you are making — artwork, quantity, target date. Our team replies with feasibility and the questions we need answered.
- STEP 2
Swatch & sampling
We develop your header swatch or sample panel first, photographed and then couriered to you for approval, with honest per-design costing.
- STEP 3
Production
On approval, work goes on the frames. You receive photo updates as pieces progress — no silence between order and dispatch.
- STEP 4
Check & dispatch
Every piece is checked against the approved swatch, packed export-ready and shipped worldwide by courier or freight, tracked to your door.
The best houses — kept private
For 26 years our embroidery has gone out under other houses’ labels. We work for some of the best — top designers in Italy, France and the UK — and we keep their names private. That discretion is part of what our clients buy. The calibre we mean:
- Armani
- Versace
- Saint Laurent
- and many others
Most of our clients arrive through referral and stay for seasons. Client work is confidential: we never name the houses we embroider for, and we never photograph or publish a collection before it is released.
Why houses stay with Charisma
A direct line to the atelier
Your emails are answered by our Mumbai office, and every development is reviewed before it ships. There is no account-manager relay between your studio and the frame.
Sampling before commitment
You approve a physical swatch — in your fabric, your colourway — before any production is booked. If a design will not hold up in production, we tell you at the swatch stage.
Confidential by default
Unreleased collections stay unreleased. Artwork and samples are handled in-house only, and we are happy to work under your NDA.
Questions, answered plainly
What are your minimums?
Sampling starts from a single swatch or panel — that is the point of it. Production minimums depend on the technique and density of the design, and we will give you an exact figure with your sampling quote rather than a generic number.
How long does sampling and production take?
It depends on the intricacy of the artwork — a beaded motif and a full zardozi gown live in different worlds. Send the design and we will quote a timeline we can actually hold, before you commit to anything.
What do you need from us to start?
Whatever you have: artwork files, a tech pack, reference photographs, or the fabric itself. Many long-running clients started with a photograph and a conversation.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes — most of our work leaves India. Samples go by international courier and production by courier or freight, packed export-ready and tracked. Our clients are in Italy, France, the UK, the United States and beyond.
Can we meet in person?
Yes. Visit us at our Mumbai office, or meet our sales representative in Dallas, Texas. For other cities, tell us where you are in your enquiry and we will arrange a call — or a meeting with samples in hand when we are next travelling.
Start with a swatch
Tell us about the piece or collection you are developing. You will hear back from our team — with feasibility, the right questions, and a sampling plan.
Prefer to write directly? Email us at
[email protected]
Artwork, tech packs and reference photos are welcome as attachments to your email — or tell us about the project below and our team will reply.
Office & atelier: 344-346 Samuel Street, A K Chamber, Masjid Bunder, Mumbai 400003, India
US sales representative: Dallas, Texas