The Gulmarg Collection reimagines Pinjrakari — Kashmir’s intricate lattice craft — into modern eyewear. By blending traditional geometry with hybrid frame construction, etched detailing, and wood-inspired finishes, the collection celebrates heritage while delivering contemporary style.
Presented under Lenskart Studio F/W ’23, it connects craft, culture, and design in one timeless statement.
The Gulmarg Collection is grounded in Pinjrakari, an intricate Kashmiri lattice craft passed down through generations. Known for its precision geometry—triangles, squares, hexagons, and stars—it creates both privacy and filtered light inside Kashmiri homes.
With the craft now endangered, the research process went beyond visual references. It involved studying the symbolism of the lattice, the materiality of walnut and teak wood, and how light interacts with these patterns. The challenge was to capture this cultural depth and translate it into a new medium: eyewear.
Today, the craft is living on the edge of extinction—only about five or six master artisans like Fida Hussain Baba remain, most of whom are elderly. He and others lament that, “95% of workshops have already shut down,” as machine-made and cheaper alternatives dominate and younger generations shy away from the labor-intensive tradition.
Artisans remain underpaid while middlemen take most of the share, leaving little support for the craft. Despite some foreign interest, local demand has faded, putting Pinjrakari’s future at risk.
In response, the Gulmarg Collection isn’t just a design statement—it’s a cultural intervention, meant to honor the craft, preserve its logic, and share the artisan’s legacy through contemporary, wearable form.
The design ideation began by treating Pinjrakari not as a decorative motif, but as a structural design system. The lattice grids—triangles, squares, hexagons, and stars—offered a blueprint for creating frames that balance order, rhythm, and lightness.
Hip-Hop ft. Hanumankind brought modern hip-hop energy into eyewear, creating a collection that connected with young audiences and delivered strong commercial success — generating ₹18 CR in revenue.
Below are the SKUs that have performed the best.
