During my recent trip to Kutch, I finally visited the Living and Learning Design Centre (LLDC) in Ajrakhpur, and I am so glad I did. I had heard about the embroidery collection for years, but seeing it in person was a special experience.

LLDC is about 15 kilometers from Bhuj in Gujarat and was established as a dedicated space for the research, documentation, and preservation of Kutch’s rich craft traditions. The museum opened to the public in 2016 and serves as a place where textiles are studied, archived, and thoughtfully displayed. It feels less like a typical museum and more like a serious repository of skill, history, and cultural identity.

The Living Embroideries of Kutch Gallery was truly a treat, and not just visually. The collection represents embroidery traditions from around 11 to 12 major tribal communities of Kutch, and within those there are more than 30 distinct embroidery styles documented across the region. What stood out most was how different each community’s work is. You can clearly see the variation in techniques, motifs, mirror work, density, and so on.

What is equally compelling is that the textiles and utilitarian homewares are not displayed merely as decorative pieces but presented with context. Some communities are nomadic, some pastoral, and each has its own history of movement and settlement. I learned about  Rabari, Ahir, Meghwaad, Jat, and Sodha communities to name a few, and how migration, trade routes, and even India’s partition shaped their craft traditions.

Learning more about the Rabari community felt especially meaningful to me. Our Cottedge Kediya tops are made in collaboration with Geeta Rabari artisans from the Dhebariya Rabari community. While the tops themselves are not embroidered, understanding the depth of Rabari embroidery motifs and history added another layer of meaning to the work we are part of.

There is also a section dedicated to men’s turbans (wish I took more pictures!), which I found fascinating. The way a turban is tied, and sometimes its style and motifs, can indicate the community, social status, and occupation a man belongs to. It took me back to our Peru trip, where clothing was such a strong indicator of what region someone belonged to. There is something powerful about how identity can be read through textiles across cultures.

While I was there, there was also a live block printing demonstration happening on site, which seemed like a fun, hands-on experience. I did not get a chance to try it myself, but I enjoyed watching other visitors participate. There is also a craft store within the campus that features clothing, accessories, and art pieces connected to the region’s textile traditions.

One of the areas of the museum was closed to the public during my visit, and I only had a little over an hour to explore. It honestly felt like sensory overload in the best way. There was so much beautiful work to absorb and so many details to take in. I took photos to document as much as I could, but I know I barely scratched the surface.

I would highly recommend touring with a guide. It was already such a sensory overload, and having someone walk us through the galleries made a huge difference. I joined another group of visitors, and hearing the details and stories behind so many of the communities and pieces helped everything connect in a deeper way.

I truly hope to go back one day. Next time, I would love to bring my mom and my daughters with me. It feels like the kind of place that deserves time, attention, and shared experience, especially since I went by myself this time.