Blue and Golden Floral Handloom Fabric from Banaras with Zari Weave
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Description
Pure Silk Handloom Brocade<br>Weaver Kasim Family of Banaras. Width - 23 inch / 58.4 cms
Complete your look
Hand-picked pieces that sing gently with this one.
Behind this piece
Banaras has woven gold into silk for over a thousand years, and the Kasim family carries that lineage with quiet authority. This fabric belongs to the katan silk brocade tradition, where a supplementary zari weft is inserted by hand to build each floral motif from beneath the surface. The combination of deep indigo and burnished gold is characteristic of the Banarasi aesthetic, one that once supplied Mughal courts and continues to dress contemporary India with the same gravity. Every centimetre of this cloth represents a calculation of threads too intricate for any machine to replicate faithfully.
How to style
Cut this fabric into an anarkali with a fitted churidar and let the zari florals carry the silhouette without additional embellishment. For a contemporary occasion, a structured blouse in this brocade pairs beautifully with an ivory or ivory-toned Kanjeevaram sari. Consider it also for a lehenga skirt worn at a winter wedding, anchored with uncut diamond chandbalis and kolhapuri heels in cognac leather. The blue and gold palette is self-contained and generous, meaning it absorbs both antique gold jewellery and oxidised silver with equal composure. Reserve heavy styling for the garment's natural strength.
Fabric & care
Pure katan silk retains its lustre only when treated with restraint. Dry clean this fabric after stitching, and avoid machine washing entirely, as agitation breaks the zari wire and loosens the supplementary weave. Store folded in a soft muslin cloth, never in plastic, which traps humidity and weakens silk fibres over time. If the fabric must be pressed, do so on the reverse side using a low-heat iron with a thin cotton cloth as a buffer. Kept with care, Banarasi silk brocade does not age poorly. It deepens, which is an entirely different thing.
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.
