Asymmetric Jacquard Silk Modi Jacket Waist Coat with Mukaish Work
Gentle hand-wash separately in cold water with a mild detergent. Avoid soaking. Iron on medium heat while slightly damp.
Description
Some silhouettes carry an entire school of craft within their cut. This asymmetric waistcoat draws on the Modi jacket tradition, reinterpreted here in a lustrous jacquard silk that catches light with the quiet authority of a weave that has earned its place. Across its surface, mukaish work lends a constellation of fine metal-wrapped thread, a Lucknowi embellishment once reserved for the courts of Awadh, where craftspeople pressed delicate wire into fabric by hand to achieve that characteristic, restrained shimmer. The jacquard itself contributes a dimensional texture, its woven pattern integral to the cloth rather than applied, giving the garment a structural depth that rewards close attention. Available in Indian Teal, a colour that recalls antique patina on old copper, and Rhubarb, a warm, complex red with the richness of a dusk over old city rooftops. Pair the teal over ivory wide-leg trousers for a reception or festive gathering where understatement reads as the finest confidence. The rhubarb reads equally well against a silk kurta in ivory or deep cream for layered evening dressing.
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Behind this piece
This jacket waistcoat brings together two distinct vocabularies of Indian craft. The body is woven in jacquard silk, a structured weave associated with the looms of Varanasi and Surat, where figural motifs are built directly into the textile rather than applied atop it. Layered over this foundation is mukaish work, the Lucknow tradition of embedding fine metal wire into fabric to catch and return candlelight. Historically favoured by the Nawabi court, mukaish requires a steady hand and patient eye. In Indian Teal and Rhubarb, both hues carry the saturated confidence of natural dye traditions.
How to style
For a festive evening, wear this over a column of ivory silk charmeuse palazzo trousers and finish with Hyderabadi pearl drops. At a daytime mehendi, pair it atop a hand-block-printed cotton kurta in dusty rose, with kolhapuri flats in tan leather. The asymmetric hem also reads beautifully over straight-cut cigarette trousers in the Rhubarb colourway, anchored by oxidised silver chaandbalis and pointed-toe mules in nude. The modified Nehru collar suits a chignon or low braid, keeping the neckline clear for the mukaish to speak.
Fabric & care
Jacquard silk is a structured weave and does not forgive rough handling. Dry clean only; do not hand wash, as water may loosen the mukaish wire embeddings and distort the woven figural ground. If steaming is necessary, hold the iron two inches from the surface and never press directly onto the metalwork. Store folded between layers of unbleached muslin, away from synthetic materials that generate static. Keep in a cool, dry place, away from direct light, which can shift the depth of both Indian Teal and Rhubarb over time.
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