Natural Dye Artist Dress | indigo & soft iron black check

Our Artist Dress is my personal favourite! I just love how easy to wear, versatile & comfortable this dress is. Cut in a silhouette flattering to a range of shapes & sizes: the flat collar frames the face, the semi-fitted dolman sleeves add shape to the over-sized cut, and gathers under the gusset add drama & weight to the light cotton. Wear as a dress, or alternatively as a house-coat with the front open.

• Wide-cut body with relaxed silhouette & slightly tapered sleeves

• This piece has extended, 3/4 sleeves

• Closes down the center front with mother of pearl buttons

• Mid-calf length

• Side seam pockets

• Crafted from a deliciously soft & light, hand woven cotton

• All orders come lovingly packed in upcycled silk bags

• SM

  • Length 44”

  • Chest 56” round

  • Sleeve length 13" & opening 12” round 

• ML

  • Length 47”

  • Chest 56” round

  • Sleeve length 14" & opening 13” round

• LXL

  • Length 47”

  • Chest 56” round

  • Sleeve length 15" & opening 13” round

+/- a tolerance inherent to hand made clothing

• Fabric: 100% cotton

• Handfeel: Soft & light 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.