Kasuri Double Ikat Artist Dress | poppy red & white

A personal favourite, the Artist Dress is designed for those who love comfort without compromising on style. 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 handwoven mid-weight cotton in a Japanese-inspired kasuri double ikat design
• All orders come lovingly packed in upcycled silk bags

• SM
  • Length 45”
  • Chest 53” round
  • Sleeve length 14”
  • Bicep 13” round & cuff 12” round
• ML
  • Length 46”
  • Chest 56” round
  • Sleeve length 14.5”
  • Bicep 14.5” round & cuff 13” round

+/- a tolerance inherent to hand made clothing

• Fabric: 100% cotton
• Handfeel: Soft & mid weight
• Care: Gentle hand wash. Do not soak. Drip dry flat. Gentle steam iron.
• Origin: Telangana, India

 

 

Textile Story

 

Hand dyed and woven by a group of specialised ikat master artisans in one of India's ikat centers; Hyderabad in Telangana State. Ikat is an ancient dyeing and weaving process found around the world, including India, Japan, China and Central Asia. Ikat refers to the dyeing process, whereby prior to dyeing, the yarn is meticulously tied with string in pre-determined locations then dyed, resulting in tied areas resisting the dye.  The yarn is untied and retied for each new colour.

 

Our cloth is a double ikat - meaning both weft and warp yarns are dyed this way; a particularly complex process, as the dyed patterns on warp and weft must align during weaving. There are only a few other places in the world that create double ikat including: Okinawa; Tenganan village, Bali; and Patan, Gujarat.

 

While Indian ikat generally favours bold colours and larger motifs, for this collection, we've looked to traditional Japanese kasuri ikat for insiration. Kasuri, meaning "rubbed", refers to the blurred edges of patterns and most frequently consists of small, geometric repeat designs dyed in indigos, whites and browns. 

 

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.