Black Banarasi Brocade Fabric with Woven Flowers
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Complete your look
Hand-picked pieces that sing gently with this one.
Behind this piece
Banaras has woven brocade for over five centuries, its looms humming with the memory of Mughal courts and temple processions alike. This black ground fabric carries that lineage: the woven floral motifs, known as butidar work, are built directly into the cloth on Jacquard-assisted pit looms in the workshops of Varanasi. The PolySilk warp catches light with the particular cool luminosity that made Banarasi weaving famous far beyond the Gangetic plains. Black brocade was historically reserved for the most formal occasions, its depth making every woven flower appear to float.
How to style
Cut this fabric into an unstitched lehenga skirt and pair it with a silk charmeuse blouse in ivory or deep burgundy for a wedding reception look. The black ground also lends itself beautifully to a sharply tailored blazer worn over a column kurta, appropriate for a festive corporate gathering. For a theatrical evening drape, fashion it as a saree with a contrast tissue blouse. Across all three looks, lean into gold temple jewellery, Kundan sets, or oxidised silver; and block-heeled mojris in cognac or bronze will complete the register.
Fabric & care
PolySilk, a polyester-filament yarn woven to mimic silk's drape, requires cool hand-washing in mild detergent or a specialist fabric wash. Use water no warmer than 30 degrees Celsius and avoid wringing, which distorts the brocade weave structure. Roll the fabric in a clean cotton towel to remove excess water and dry flat in shade, away from direct sunlight, which yellows synthetic fibres over time. Store folded in a muslin cloth rather than plastic, and place a sheet of acid-free tissue between folds to prevent crease lines from setting permanently.
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