Vankar Silk-Wool Poncho | ivory

A fluid poncho defined by ease and proportion. This planar garment allows the cloth to speak most clearly, uninterrupted by tailoring; layering and moving without distortion. The sides are lightly secured with a few stitches, creating high slits that release movement as you walk - subtle, deliberate, and unforced. Generously cut to drape effortlessly over knits or separates, it is perfect for layering through seasons. A versatile companion for travel, warmth, or effortless style, it is a piece you return to again and again.

 

• V-neckline with self bias binding
• Held together with a few stitches at the sides, creating high side slits to the waist
• Handwoven from a yarn-dyed blend of merino wool and tussar silk, with a soft handfeel, gentle drape, and subtle natural texture 
• Embellished with traditional extra-weft motifs and border stripes in golden tussar silk: each additional thread inserted by hand using a needle while the fabric remains on the loom
• Woven in Kutch by Rajan, a fourth-generation artisan from the Vankar weaving community
• All orders come lovingly packed in recycled silk bags

• One size - designed to fit XS–XL comfortably
• Garment measurements
  • Length 43”
  • Chest, waist & hip 76” round
• Fit notes
  • One size with relaxed silhouette
  • The natural drape of the fabric allows the volume to sit softly on smaller frames
  • Midi-length
  • Measurements may vary slightly due to the handmade nature of the garment

• Fabric: 50% tussar silk, 50% merino wool
• Handfeel: Soft, mid weight and slightly slubbed
• Care: Please treat with care by dry cleaning only. 
• Origin: Gujarat, India

 

 

Textile Story

 

In the arid landscape of Kutch, on the India–Pakistan border, agriculture is precarious and uncertain, so craft has become a way of life. Among the most enduring traditions is extra-weft weaving amongst the Vankar community, practiced for over six centuries since Marwada artisans migrated from Rajasthan to Gujarat.

 

From the village of Sarli, Rajan Bhimji Vankar carries this lineage forward. A fourth-generation weaver, he grew up watching his father and grandfather at the loom; today, in his twenties, he is already celebrated as a master of the craft.

 

Rajan’s palette draws from the earth: muted desert browns, cool indigoes, warm madders. He works with a range of extraordinary fibers - local Desi and fine Merino wool, handspun Tussar and Eri silks, indigenous Kala cotton - bringing softness and strength into each piece. 

 

His intricate motifs, created with the traditional extra weft technique, are both contemporary and deeply symbolic. Patterns like Chomukh (the four-pointed cross), Dhunglo (mountains), and Saat-Kanni (the eyes) are woven not only as designs but as carriers of Kutchi identity.

 

Rajan describes weaving as an “ecology of collaborative effort”, a network of farmers, spinners, dyers, vendors, and artisans whose work converges at the loom. His practice is both revival and reinvention: keeping alive the symbolism of Vankar weaving while bringing it into dialogue with global design. In Rajan’s hands, weaving becomes a living lineage - threads carrying memory, meaning, and the spirit of Kutch. Any variations or irregularities are part of the design and inherent to the production process.

Possible customisations upon request:

 

• Removal of hem tassels (free, +3 days to handling/shipping)