Turquoise ground, mauve panels, gold-touched paisley in between.

Why this piece

Colour-fast - the mauve panels do not bleed into the turquoise
Contrasting panelled borders on a saturated ground, printed not stitched
Light at 600 to 650 g for all three pieces, and opaque enough to skip a lining

The panels

The ground is a saturated sea green turquoise, printed all over with small repeating florals and paisley shapes touched with gold. Against it sit panels in a mauve tint, bordered with linear horizontal bands of geometric and paisley work.

The effect is layered rather than busy: one colour family, two temperatures, and a band of pattern to mark where they change. Small white and dark blue details keep the print from going flat.

Wearing it

Sea green suits almost everyone and photographs cool, so this is a good pick for daytime events and long office days alike. Silver or white metal jewellery works better than gold here, and a mauve or white inner reinforces the panels.

Colour work this layered normally shows up on woven silk sets at several times the price. Here it is achieved with carved blocks and repeated passes by hand.

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 gold touches land more heavily in some repeats than others. That is a block being inked and pressed by hand, not a roller running at a constant speed.

Sea Green Katan Silk Suit, Turquoise & Mauve Panels | Kairi