Noor-e-Banaras Brocade Weaving Lichi Silk Navy Blue Suit (T+B+D)

How can I take it from a festive day to a dinner?

Navy is sober and neat, so it works for a daytime festive gathering with simple jewellery. For an evening dinner, add statement earrings and drape the dupatta loosely; the brocade gives navy enough richness that a jewellery change is all it needs.

What are the coloured flowers on the border?

The kurta's hem carries a wide gold band woven with flowering vines in magenta, orange and navy, with green leaves. It's the most colourful part of the set; elsewhere the pattern is gold on navy, with small gold butis and a gold floral jaal on the dupatta.

How is brocade different from embroidery?

Embroidery is stitched onto finished fabric with a needle. Brocade is woven into the cloth itself, using extra threads that form the pattern as the fabric is made. So the design on the Noor-e-Banaras suit is part of the fabric, with a slightly raised feel, rather than sitting on top of it.

How much fabric is in each piece?

Top: 2.5 to 3.0 metres. Bottom: 2.4 to 2.5 metres. Dupatta: 2.4 to 2.5 metres. The three pieces together weigh about 500 gm. Share these numbers with your tailor when you discuss the design, so the cut you choose fits the fabric you have.

Does brocade fray when it's cut?

It can. Brocade has extra threads woven in for the pattern, and cut edges loosen easily. Ask your tailor to overlock or tape the seams soon after cutting, leave a slightly wider seam allowance, and avoid unpicking seams again and again during fittings.