Block Print Cotton Artist Dress | organic indigo & kora

A personal favourite, the Artist Dress is designed for those who love comfort without compromising on style. In this refined take on our classic silhouette, we've removed the collar for a clean, minimalist neckline & extended the sleeves. 

 

The straight-cut dolman sleeves bring subtle structure to the oversized body, while an underarm gusset extends into an elegant A-line silhouette, creating a shape that flatters a range of forms. Versatile and effortlessly chic, wear it as a dress or as a flowing house coat with the front open.

 

• Wide-cut body with relaxed silhouette
• 3/4 straight cut sleeves
• Closes down the center front with hand beaten brass buttons
• Mid-calf length
• Side seam pockets
• Crafted from handspun and woven mid-weight cotton, hand block printed in organic indigo on a kora, unbleached base
• All orders come lovingly packed in upcycled silk bags

• SM
  • Length 46”
  • Chest 53” round
  • Sleeve length 9" & opening 12” round 
• ML
  • Length 47”
  • Chest 56” round
  • Sleeve length 10" & opening 13” round

+/- a tolerance inherent to hand made clothing

• Fabric: 100% cotton
• Handfeel: Soft & mid weight
• Care: Gentle hand wash separately in cold water. Do not soak. Gentle steam iron. Drip dry flat in the shade. 
• Origin: West Bengal, India

 

 

Textile Story

 

This hand spun & woven cotton is entirely hand made. Once the cotton bolls have been gathered, they are carded to clean them of any debris. This is done using a manual or semi-mechanised machine that combs the fibre. It's a time-consuming task as the fibres are carded many times to ensure all the waste left from the cotton seeds is taken out.

 

The cleaned fibre is then spun into yarn on a charkha (spinning wheel) or spindle. The spinning thins out the fibres into a more standard thickness and gives length to the yarn while twisting it to give it strength. This yarn is measured and then prepared for the loom, itself a lengthy process, where it is hand woven to create the cloth.

 

Not only is cloth made this way environmentally friendly, it also maintains the intrinsic properties of cotton which are usually damaged during machine-processing. Its weave creates air pockets which make it cool in summer and warm in winter and its inherent strength makes it highly durable. The semi-slubbed texture adds authenticity, a richness and variety to the cloth that is not found in machine-processed fabric. 

 

Any variations or irregularities are to be celebrated. They are part of the design & inherent to the handcrafted production process, making this item beautifully unique.