Aparna Sunil
About
Aparna Sunil is an Embroidery & Textile Designer. Through her work, she hopes to spread her ideas of joy and beauty through embellishments. She is grounded in a deep appreciation for artisanal skills and aims to merge tradition with contemporary sensibilities.
Her final project titled “Bleeding Roses” is a collection of embroidered textiles for fashion. Drawing from the emotional narratives in the depiction of women in classical paintings, the motif of scattering roses is used throughout the collection, symbolising beauty, grief, and femininity.
Inspiration for the technique comes from Chikankari, a style of traditional Indian textile that incorporates “shadow work”, a form of embroidery where the stitches made on the reverse side of the fabric are visible from the front. By merging various styles of hand and machine embroidery with techniques like crochet and mono-printing, the collection explores unconventional ways to express shadow work.
The project sheds light on the beauty of slow crafting and its role in creating heirloom textiles that can be celebrated for generations.
Content Warning
The content on this website may contain themes and materials that some users find distressing or offensive. Further, the content on this website may not be suitable for individuals under the age of 18. User discretion is advised.
Any views and opinions expressed in this student profile represent the views and opinions of the student and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Royal College of Art or its employees or affiliates. The appearance of any views or opinions on this page do not constitute endorsement of those views by the Royal College of Art. This student profile has been made available for informational purposes only. The Royal College of Art does not make any representations or warranties with regard to the accuracy of any information provided in this student profile, nor does it warrant the performance, effectiveness or applicability of any listed or linked sites. The Royal College of Art is not responsible for the content submitted by any user, or for the defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of any user. If you wish to report any errors or inappropriate material that may cause offence, please email feedback@rca.ac.uk