Dazzling-Blue Brocade Fabric from Banaras with Woven Flowers and Zari Weave by Hand
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
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Behind this piece
Banaras has woven silk into ceremony for over five centuries, and the brocade tradition known as Kimkhwab counts among its most luminous expressions. This fabric comes from the Kasim family of Banaras, hereditary weavers who work the pit loom by hand, building each motif pass by pass with real zari thread. The flowers here are not printed but constructed, row by row, through the interlacing of warp and weft. That dazzling blue ground, so particular to the Banarasi palette, carries the zari without competing with it. This is Varanasi at its most confident.
How to style
Cut this fabric into an unstitched lehenga skirt and pair it with tissue organza at the blouse for a wedding trousseau look that needs no further ornamentation. For a more restrained occasion, a straight-cut kurta in this brocade worn over ivory palazzo trousers reads equally well. Complete either look with polki or kundan jewellery in gold tones, which the zari will meet naturally. Kolhapuri heels in tan leather ground the ensemble without drawing attention from the weave itself. Three metres yields a generous dupatta for evening receptions.
Fabric & care
Pure silk brocade with real zari must never meet water unsupervised. Dry-clean this fabric after every wear to protect both the silk warp and the metallic zari threads, which can tarnish or distort if wet. If storage is long-term, roll the fabric along the grain rather than folding it, to prevent permanent crease lines across the zari. Wrap it in a clean muslin cloth, never plastic. Keep it away from direct sunlight, which fades the blue ground over time. Stored with care, Banarasi brocade of this quality lasts across generations.
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