Itajime Silk Wan Chai Dress | topaz
I first tested this dress style in a Hong Kong summer & found it perfect for the heat and humidity. An airy, comfortable dress with a flattering silhouette. Wan Chai has a loose fit, though it’s not as oversized as many of our other styles. Size down for a closer fit.
Wide-cut body with relaxed silhouette
Boat-neckline
Side seam pockets
Lightly gathered skirt
Midi length
Crafted in 80g habutai silk dyed in the itajime shibori technique
All orders come lovingly packed in recycled silk bags.
SM
Length 45”
Chest 43” round
Cross-back 23”
Sleeve length 5"
Armhole 16” round & sleeve opening 14” round
ML
Length 47”
Chest 47” round
Cross-back 25”
Sleeve length 5.5”
Armhole 17” round & sleeve opening 15” round
+/- a tolerance inherent to hand made clothing
Fabric: 100% habutai silk
Handfeel: Soft & light with a fluid drape
Care: Gentle & quick hand wash in mild detergent. Don't soak as some colours may run. Drip dry in the shade. Gentle steam iron.
Origin: Gujarat, India
Textile Story
Our Itajime Silk Collection has been hand-crafted in the workshop of two of India's foremost Master Craftsmen; Jabbar and Abdullah Khatri in Bhuj, Gujarat.
Shibori is a 1300 year old tie and dye technique developed in Japan involving the folding and clamping or otherwise securing of fabric prior to dyeing. Itajime is one technique of shibori which uses pieces of wood clamped together around sections of folded fabric to resist the dye in particular shapes.
Each three meter section of fabric is individually folded, clamped, tied and dyed; and this repeated several times to get layers of colours. It's a time consuming and exacting technique with bold geometric results. Any variations or irregularities are part of the design and inherent to the production process.
