Grey, printed with paisley on one piece and polka dots on the next.

Why this piece

Colour-fast - the orange and green do not bleed into the grey on first wash
Two different prints across the set, so it never looks like one flat length
Genuinely hand block printed with hand-carved wooden blocks, never a screen

Paisley and dots

The grey ground runs through the whole set, but the print does not. Small paisley covers the top densely, while polka dots appear at a moderate spacing elsewhere, with orange, green and black picking out the motifs against the neutral base.

A linear decorative band closes the dupatta edge. Mixing a traditional motif with something as plain as a dot is an unusual choice for a block print, and it is what keeps this set from looking like everything else in a wardrobe.

Wearing it

Grey takes any accent colour you own, which makes this the easiest set here to accessorise - orange bangles one day, oxidised silver the next. Stitch the paisley as the kurta and let the dotted pieces sit under and around it. It carries daily and office wear comfortably and dresses up with jewellery alone.

Two motifs, hand stamped, on silk, at this price is the reason to choose it over a single-print cotton set from a marketplace.

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 dots are not identical - some take more ink than others. That is what a wooden block pressed by hand does, and it is the proof of the craft.

Grey Katan Silk Suit, Paisley & Polka Dot Print | Kairi