Commissioning with Parvai

A commission at Parvai is not simply a custom order. It is a collaborative process that brings together the patron, Parvai and the maker, and it begins with clarity, trust and a shared understanding of how handcrafted work actually happens. Commission work is among the most involved forms of work we undertake because it requires design thinking, technical interpretation, access to specialist materials, skilled artisans, looms, pre-loom resources and considerable coordination before the actual making begins.

For this reason, commissions are undertaken selectively and only when we believe the project can be approached with the level of care, technical seriousness and responsibility that it deserves.

Who We Currently Accept Commissions From

At present, commission projects are primarily reserved for existing Parvai patrons who have placed cumulative orders with us of ₹5 lakh or more, who are already familiar with our work, and who understand the time, complexity and variability involved in handcrafted production. Many of these patrons have supported Parvai over several years and have contributed meaningfully to our survival, continuity and growth.

This is not intended to create exclusivity for its own sake. Our commission capacity is naturally limited because many of the looms, artisans and specialist resources we work with are committed well in advance. We therefore prioritise patrons with whom there is already an established relationship and an understanding of the way Parvai works.

Understanding the Process Before We Begin

A commission requires a different mindset from purchasing a finished sari. Handcrafted textiles depend on people, materials, technical conditions and time, and not every element can always be controlled with absolute precision. A particular yarn may no longer be available, zari specifications may have changed, a loom may already be committed, or a technique used in an older textile may require reinterpretation under current production conditions.

Before a commission begins, the patron must therefore understand that timelines are indicative, natural variation is inherent to handmade work, recreation does not always mean exact replication, and certain technical or material changes may become necessary during development. The success of a commission depends as much on the clarity of the brief and the trust placed in the process as it does on the final product.

The Commission Brief

The brief is the foundation of the project and must be as clear and detailed as possible before serious development begins. A commission may start from an existing Parvai sari, an archival piece, an heirloom textile, an existing physical object, photographs, historical references, a particular weave, colour direction, motif, border, pallu, or an idea developed through discussion.

The patron should identify what is absolutely essential to the commission and where interpretation is acceptable. The clearer these expectations are at the beginning, the more accurately Parvai can translate them into a workable design and production plan.

If a Physical Reference Exists

Where the commission is based on an existing sari, textile or object, we require clear and detailed photographs that show the complete piece as well as important details such as the border, pallu, motifs, colour relationships, texture, scale, spacing, proportions and construction.

For more technically complex pieces, photographs may not be sufficient. In such cases, we may request that the original physical textile be sent to us so that we can examine the weave structure, yarn, zari, border construction, pallu, proportions and other technical details directly.

A physical reference allows us to work with greater accuracy, but even then, exact replication may not always be possible if the original materials, tools or artisan conditions are no longer available.

If There Is No Physical Reference

Some commissions begin only from conversation, memory, verbal description or a combination of visual references. In such cases, the final work will necessarily involve interpretation.

We can listen carefully, document the requirement, study references and develop the design in considerable detail, but where there is no actual physical object to refer to, there can be no 100% guarantee that the finished product will exactly match what the client has imagined. An idea that exists only in conversation or memory always leaves room for interpretation.

For this reason, visual references should be shared wherever possible, important elements should be identified early, and expectations should be aligned before the design brief is finalised.

Consultation and Design Development Fee

Parvai charges a consultation and design development fee of ₹15,000 per commission project. This fee covers the hours spent understanding the request, studying visual or physical references, developing and interpreting the design, working through colour, motifs, borders, pallu, scale and placement, considering technical possibilities, revising the design direction, and refining the project until the final brief is established.

The ₹15,000 fee applies to the project as a whole, whether the commission involves one sari or several saris developed within the same agreed commission brief. It is specifically a fee for the design and development work that takes place before production and does not include the actual cost of producing the sari or saris.

The consultation and design development process may include:

• studying references and understanding the client’s request
• developing design interpretations and alternatives
• working through colours, motifs, borders and pallu
• considering proportions, scale and placement
• technical discussion required to make the design workable
• revisions and refinements until the brief is finalised

Finalising the Technical Brief

Once the design direction is agreed, Parvai prepares a detailed technical brief that becomes the primary working document for the commission. This translates the design concept into measurable, production-ready information that the artisans and technical teams can work from.

Depending on the project, the technical brief may include:

• overall sari measurements
• body dimensions
• border widths
• pallu length and structure
• blouse length
• motif size, spacing and placement
• colour specifications
• yarn type and count
• zari specifications
• weave structure
• korvai, petni, adai or jacquard requirements
• construction notes
• finishing requirements
• any agreed technical variations or special instructions

Once this technical brief is finalised and approved, it becomes the principal reference for the project.

Feasibility Assessment

After the design and technical brief have been developed, Parvai assesses whether the project can realistically be executed. This involves reviewing the availability of the appropriate artisan, loom, yarn, zari, dyeing process, adai, jacquard, weaving technique and any other specialist resources required.

At this stage, a project may be accepted as proposed, modified for technical reasons, delayed until the appropriate resource becomes available, or declined if we do not believe it can be executed with sufficient integrity. We would rather decline or alter a project than proceed with something we know cannot be made properly.

 Detailed Quotation and Proforma Invoice

Before any production begins, Parvai prepares a detailed quotation or proforma invoice for the commission. This is intended to give the patron a transparent view of the estimated cost of every meaningful component involved in producing the piece.

Depending on the project, the quotation may include:

• raw material costs
• silk or other yarn
• zari
• dyeing
• master weaver charges
• assistant weaver charges
• nadi maker charges, where applicable
• adai or jacquard development
• jacquard charges
• loom preparation
• specialist artisan charges
• printing, embroidery or other additional craft processes
• finishing
• technical development
• production coordination
• exclusivity charges, where requested
• any other project-specific costs

The quotation is prepared before production begins and is based on the best available estimate at that stage. Where certain costs remain variable because of material prices, technical development or specialist processes, this is clearly indicated.

Once the quotation or proforma invoice is shared, the patron reviews it, discusses any questions or revisions with us, and provides formal written approval. Signed approval of the quotation is required before Parvai proceeds with production.

Production Without Advance

Other than the consultation and design development fee, Parvai does **not take a production advance** for the commission. Once the quotation is approved, Parvai proceeds with production at its own financial risk and invests in the raw materials, labour, weaving, technical development and all other production requirements necessary to complete the piece.

This is an important part of the way we work. The client is not financially committed to purchasing the sari simply because production has begun. Parvai carries the production investment, and the patron retains the freedom to make the final purchase decision only after the product is completed.

Parvai’s Responsibility for Production

Our production model is based on a very clear principle: wherever possible, the artisan should not carry the financial liability of making the work. Parvai invests in what is required to enable the craft to happen, including raw materials, yarn, zari, dyeing, pre-loom work, adai or jacquard development, loom preparation, technical resources, specialist processes and coordination.

The artisan contributes their skill, time, labour and knowledge; Parvai takes responsibility for the financial investment required to bring the project into existence.

Because of this, the resources behind our work are not simply a list of contacts. They are relationships, systems and knowledge built over years of trust, financial commitment, trial, continuity and shared work.

Access to Parvai’s Resources

When Parvai accepts a commission, the patron has access to the resources we are able to bring into the project, including our design archive, textile references, sourcing networks, material knowledge, technical expertise, weaving knowledge, artisan networks and specialist craft resources.

However, Parvai remains the central point of coordination throughout the project. The value of these resources lies not only in their availability, but in the relationships and experience that allow us to use them responsibly.

Protecting the Resources Behind the Work

We consider it extremely important to protect the people, knowledge and resources that make our work possible. In an increasingly public, digital and social environment, there is often an assumption that every contact, source, process and relationship should be openly accessible or freely shared.

We do not work from that assumption.

For us, privacy is not secrecy; it is responsibility. We believe there is a very human obligation to recognise what has been entrusted to us, to understand what should remain protected, and not to place every relationship into the public domain simply because technology makes it easy to do so.

For this reason:

• private contact details of artisans and specialist makers are not shared with clients
• our working networks are not treated as publicly transferable resources
• clients do not independently coordinate with makers involved in a Parvai commission
• technical and sourcing relationships are shared only to the extent required for the project
• access to artisan communities is facilitated through Parvai where appropriate

Meeting the Makers

We do believe that patrons should have the opportunity to understand and experience the making process where appropriate. A client may visit the artisan or weaving location, meet the people involved in the commission, observe the process and engage directly with the maker.

Such visits are coordinated through Parvai and take place in our presence. This allows for meaningful human interaction while preserving the professional and personal boundaries of relationships that have been built carefully over many years.

Production and Communication

Once production begins, Parvai coordinates the complete process. Depending on the project, this may include sourcing, dyeing, graphing, adai or jacquard development, loom preparation, weaving, printing, embroidery, finishing and quality inspection.

For longer or more complex commissions, relevant updates may be shared where necessary, particularly if there are technical changes, significant delays, major cost variations or decisions that genuinely require client input.

However, commission work is not managed through continuous approvals at every small stage. Once the design direction and technical brief have been agreed, the maker and Parvai must be given sufficient space to execute the work without constant intervention.

Repeated changes once production has begun may not always be possible and may alter the time, technical feasibility or cost of the project.

Handcrafted Variation

Variation is intrinsic to handmade textiles. Natural differences may occur in colour, yarn character, weave density, motif formation, motif spacing, texture, proportion, finish and the individual hand of the maker.

These are not automatically defects; they are part of the character of handcrafted work. Every patron commissioning a piece from Parvai must be comfortable with this before the project begins.

Completion and Final Purchase Decision

Once the sari or product is fully completed and comes off the loom, Parvai finishes and inspects it and then shares photographs with the client. The final purchase decision is made **from these photographs**.

The physical product is not sent to the client for approval before the purchase decision is made.

At this stage, the client has complete freedom to decide whether they wish to purchase the finished piece. If they are happy with the outcome and wish to proceed, the final invoice is settled and the product is prepared for dispatch or collection.

If the Client Decides Not to Purchase

If the client decides not to purchase the finished sari, or if their plans have changed for any reason, there is no obligation to complete the purchase.

However, because Parvai has borne the complete financial liability of production, any exclusivity associated with the commission ends at that point.

If the client chooses not to purchase the finished work:

• Parvai retains full ownership of the product
• Any exclusivity attached to the commission is relinquished
• Parvai may sell the product through its store or other channels
• Parvai may choose to continue, reinterpret or further develop the design
• The client has no continuing claim over the finished piece or future development of the design
• The client’s name or identity will not be associated with or mentioned in relation to the product

The project will thereafter be treated entirely as a Parvai work, without reference to the individual who originally commissioned it.

Exclusivity

Where a patron wishes for the commissioned design to remain exclusive to them, this must be discussed before production and may involve a separate exclusivity charge.

The nature and duration of that exclusivity will be documented as part of the quotation and approval process.

Exclusivity remains valid only if the client proceeds with the purchase and fulfils the agreed exclusivity terms. If the client chooses not to purchase the completed piece, all exclusivity is automatically relinquished.

What Makes a Commission Work

For us, a successful commission rests on a few essential principles:

• clarity in the brief
• realistic expectations
• respect for the handmade process
• trust in Parvai’s interpretation and technical judgment
• respect for the maker and their time
• acceptance of natural variation
• patience with the process
• respect for the relationships and resources behind the work

A commission is ultimately not just the making of a sari. It is a relationship between the patron, Parvai and the people whose knowledge and hands bring the work into being. The clearer that understanding is at the beginning, the stronger and more meaningful the final textile can become.