Labor of Luxury: Embroidery from India to the World
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Labor of Luxury
EMBROIDERY FROM INDIA TO THE WORLD
Curated by Annette Becker
JANUARY 20 – MARCH 6, 2026
Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery
Labor of Luxury: Embroidery from India to the World celebrates the artistry of Indian artisans, showcasing high-fashion garments adorned with intricate surface motifs. Featuring over 20 exquisite designs by renowned Indian and Euro-American fashion luminaries such as ASHISH, Oscar de la Renta, Naeem Khan, Mary McFadden, Todd Oldham, Dries Van Noten, and Vera Wang, this exhibition invites viewers to explore the creativity, craftsmanship, and labor behind these luxurious creations.
This exhibition, curated by Annette Becker, draws from the Texas Fashion Collection, an archive of nearly 20,000 historic and designer garments and accessories housed within the University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design in Denton.
We really want people to think a step deeper about what they’re seeing with this exhibition. Not just appreciating the beautiful hand beading and embroidery that make these evening designs really special, but thinking about who executed that work, where they’re based, and how those systems and productions came to be.
Everybody knows the name Vera Wang, and we have pieces from [her] in the show. But these pieces were made and embroidered, and the sequins were put on in India. So it’s really highlighting that Indian artistry has a real impact on the clothes we wear.
Stone Gallery Show Highlights Indian Artisans and Their Role in Fashion
Tucked around a corner inside the BU College of Fine Arts building on Comm Ave is a room full of colorful fabrics, bedazzled gowns, and high fashion. The beads, sequins, colors, and materials in Labor of Luxury: Embroidery from India to the World, the current exhibition at the Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery, reflect the light and fill the space.
Exhibition curator Annette Becker, director of the Texas Fashion Collection, says one of the exhibition’s themes is to highlight and give credit to artisans in India who have created some of the garments that make global high fashion possible.
