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Each time I visit my late father’s hometown of Lucknow, in northern India, I bring back bags full of rich white silk adorned with paisleys and lotuses. Chikankari is a delicate embroidery technique that goes back to the 17th century, when the Mughal empress Nur Jahan introduced it to India. My childhood was spent surrounded by carved temples and walking down streets lined with freshly block-printed cotton drying in the sun. When I was growing up in India, craft wasn’t something displayed behind glass cases or reserved for special occasions. It was part of everyday life—a living inheritance passed from one pair of hands to the next. Long before I understood the language of design, I understood the value of the handmade.
In this month’s issue, London, my new hometown, reveals itself through craft. It is easy to think of the city as a place of constant reinvention, but beneath its restless energy lies a remarkable continuity. Since the 12th century London’s guilds have nurtured generations of artisans, preserving skills while allowing each craft to evolve with every new era. The work of today’s craftspeople reminds us that craftsmanship has never stood still. Tradition survives not because it resists change but because it adapts.
It also feels especially relevant at this moment. As AI becomes woven into more aspects of our lives, travel offers something increasingly precious: the opportunity to make rather than simply consume. Across the world, travelers are looking toward truly immersive experiences that invite them to weave, carve, throw clay, dye fabric, or cook alongside local communities. There is a particular satisfaction in creating something with your own hands and an even deeper appreciation for the handmade objects we bring home when we know the stories, skills, and people behind them. These encounters are more than memorable souvenirs. They sustain living customs, support local economies, and encourage a slower, more thoughtful way of traveling in which curiosity becomes connection. This issue celebrates those makers, traditions, and journeys. Because, while places may change, it is often the work of human hands that leaves the most lasting impression.
This article appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
