Cream paisley on magenta purple, with scrollwork panels at the hem.

Why this piece

Colour-fast - the cream stays cream, with no bleed on the first wash
The tunic print is deliberately sparse, so the scrollwork borders carry the drama
Stitch it to your own fit, up to 4XL, with length customised for larger sizes

Two densities

This set plays one piece against another. The dupatta is covered edge to edge in small cream paisley, close and busy; the tunic length keeps the same motif but spaces it far apart, leaving most of the magenta purple open.

Both are then closed with horizontal panels of scrollwork and paisley - at the base of the tunic and at the ends of the dupatta - which is what makes a single-colour set look composed rather than plain.

Wearing it

Magenta with cream is the safest kind of striking: it reads formal at work, festive at night and photographs beautifully in daylight. It suits a straight kurta with a slim palazzo, and pearls or cream stone jewellery pick up the print without adding a third colour.

A single-colour hand block print on silk asks more of the printer than a busy multi-colour one, because every misplaced stamp shows. Getting it at this price rather than at premium woven-silk prices is the point of the piece.

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 scrollwork panels vary a little in weight from one end to the other. That is ink and pressure from a human hand, and it is what separates this from a printed roll.

Magenta Purple Katan Silk Suit, Cream Scrollwork | Kairi