Charcoal grey and olive, floral paisley, a tasselled dupatta edge.
- Colour-fast, with no bleed on the first wash even from the darker grey
- Tassels finish the dupatta, so nothing needs adding after stitching
- Genuinely hand block printed with hand-carved wooden blocks, never screened
The muted palette
This is the quietest set in the range. Dark charcoal grey and olive green hold the ground, a floral paisley runs all over in a small scale, and peach and pale yellow warm it just enough to keep it from going severe.
A geometric triangular motif finishes the horizontal ends, and the dupatta carries tassels along its edge. Everything about it is restrained, which is precisely why it wears so easily.
Wearing it
Muted earth tones are the easiest thing to wear to work, and this one takes a black or oxidised silver jewellery line beautifully. It is also the set to buy if you find most block prints too loud for daily wear. A charcoal or peach inner both work.
Matte, muted block printing usually lives in cotton. Done on Katan silk it keeps the softness of the palette but gains the sheen and drape, which is a combination the market rarely offers.
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
The florals sit a little tighter in some rows than others. That is the block being placed by hand down the length of the table, and it is the sign of real hand work.