“Tarakeeb did not begin as a business idea. It began as a personal sensibility.”

From a young age, Kanika Subberwal gravitated toward natural fabrics and classical silhouettes — garments that felt enduring rather than seasonal. Clothing, for her, was never about spectacle. It was about ease, proportion, and quiet dignity. Living in Bahrain for nearly two decades, she became deeply engaged with its artistic landscape — its makers, its cultural spaces, and its layered history. The island’s scale, restraint, and continuity of craft shaped her understanding of design. In 2019, during an art collaboration that brought Indian designer JJ Valaya to Bahrain, Kanika was introduced to the traditional weaving practices of Bani Jamra. The encounter revealed a lineage of craftsmanship that felt both rooted and expansive — local in origin, yet resonant beyond geography. A year later, during the stillness of 2020, the idea of Tarakeeb began to take form. With movement paused and choices limited, reflection sharpened intention. The question was not what to produce — but how to create with integrity. Tarakeeb emerged as a response to that inquiry. A practice grounded in natural textiles. A commitment to hand weaving and embroidery. A dialogue between Bahrain and beyond.