Alpine-Green Wool Short Jacket with Aari Embroidered Floral Vines and Side Pockets from Kashmir
Dry clean recommended. Store with natural cedar or neem leaves. Avoid direct sunlight and moisture.
Description
The hills above the Dal Lake carry a particular shade of green, somewhere between pine shadow and first frost, and this jacket holds that colour with quiet conviction. Worked in warm Kashmiri wool, the fabric has the kind of density that softens with wear, becoming more itself with each season. Across the front and sleeves, Aari embroidery traces its unhurried path in floral vines, the hooked needle pulling thread into forms that Kashmiri craftswomen have refined over centuries. Aari work is distinguished by its fine, chain-stitched continuity, where the motif never feels appliquéd but seems to grow from within the cloth itself. The silhouette is cropped and structured, with side pockets that offer both practicality and a certain ease of proportion. Wear it over a cream or ivory kurta in fine cotton for the cooler months of an Indian autumn, letting the embroidery carry the occasion without further ornamentation. It travels equally well with tailored trousers for a gathering where understated heritage dressing is its own statement.
Complete your look
Hand-picked pieces that sing gently with this one.
Behind this piece
Aari embroidery takes its name from the fine hooked needle, the aari, that Kashmiri craftsmen have wielded for centuries across the vale. Rooted in the royal ateliers of the Mughal period, the craft reached its fullest expression in Kashmir's old city quarters, where artisans trained for years to render botanical forms with a fluency that rivals painting. On this alpine-green wool jacket, flowering vines travel the yoke and cuffs in the unhurried rhythm of that tradition, each stitch pulled upward through dense fabric with the same hooked tool that has remained unchanged for generations.
How to style
Wear the jacket over a cream silk kurta and straight ivory palazzos for a winter wedding guest look that reads polished without effort. Add a pair of kolhapuris in tan leather and a single gold kada at the wrist. For everyday winter wear, layer it over a fine merino turtleneck tucked into deep-indigo straight-cut jeans, finishing with pointed ankle boots in chocolate suede. On a festive evening, pair it with a rich burgundy Chanderi salwar set, letting the green become the statement; keep jewellery to small gold jhumkas so the embroidery holds the room.
Fabric & care
Wool breathes but does not forgive neglect. Dry-clean this jacket when possible, particularly given the density of Aari threadwork, which can distort under machine agitation. If hand-washing is necessary, use cold water and a mild, pH-neutral detergent, submerging briefly without wringing. Press gently between clean towels to remove moisture. Dry flat in shade, never on a hanger, to prevent the shoulders from stretching. Store folded in breathable muslin, away from direct light. Cedar blocks placed nearby will discourage moth damage without the harshness of chemical deterrents. Properly kept, the jacket will last decades.
More from womens tops
Sale
Sale
Sale
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share your thoughts.
From the Journal
Stories about the craft, the loom, and the wearing of a piece like this one.
