Kasuri Double Ikat Nehru Dress | white & blue

A simple but sophisticated shirt dress, named for the slim nehru collar. The slightly-fitted silhouette can be worn loose like a tunic, or given further shape with the cloth belt.

• Semi-fitted body & sleeves

• Center front placket with hand beaten brass buttons

• Full length sleeves close with button cuff

• Side seam pockets

• Falls to just below the knee, with side slits and curved hem

• Includes self-fabric sash

• 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 40” round

  • Hip 43” round

  • Sleeve length 22.5"

  • Armhole 20” round

• ML

  • Length 46”

  • Chest 43” round

  • Hip 46” round

  • Sleeve length 23.5”

  • Armhole 22” 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.