Olive green under a white vine-and-paisley print, chevrons at the hem.
Why this piece
- Genuinely hand block printed with hand-carved wooden blocks in Bhagalpur
- The top is printed densely and the dupatta more openly, so they layer well
- Opaque and unlined, stitchable up to 4XL with customised length
Vines and chevrons
A white vine winds through medium-scale paisley across an olive green ground, with yellow and terracotta warming the print where it opens up. The top length is printed densely; the dupatta is left more open, so wearing them together does not overwhelm.
At the hem, a solid horizontal band carries a repeating chevron, which gives a plain straight kurta a defined edge with no work from your tailor.
Wearing it
Olive with white is the most wearable version of a bold print - it holds up in an office, at a festive lunch and at a day function. Terracotta or wooden jewellery picks up the accents; gold works too. Have the chevron band placed at the hem rather than cut across.
Vine-and-paisley work in two scales, printed by hand on silk, is unusual at this price - the combination is normally found on cotton or on much costlier woven sets.
The set
Top: 2.5 m, 44 to 45 inches wide
Bottom: 2.5 m, 44 to 45 inches wide
Dupatta: 2.5 m, 35 to 36 inches wide
Fabric: Katan silk, hand block printed with hand-carved wooden blocks
Lining: not required, the fabric is opaque; add one only to elevate the look
Stitching: up to 4XL for straight kurta sets, with length customised for larger sizes
Weight: 600 to 650 g for top, bottom and dupatta together
Care: dry clean the first time, then a gentle cold hand wash
Dispatch: dispatched the next working day, even though every metre is printed by hand
Collection: Kairi
The vine does not join perfectly from one repeat to the next. That break is where one block ended and the next began, by hand.