“Flora” a Flower - Hand Block Printed Panelled Flared Skirt with Front Open Top
Machine or hand-wash cold, inside out. Air-dry in shade. Iron on medium heat. Wash with similar colours the first time.
Description
Flora arrives the way a garden does after rain, unhurried and quietly insistent on being noticed. Rendered in pure cotton of the kind that breathes through the longest afternoons, this two-piece ensemble pairs a panelled flared skirt with a front-open top, each surface alive with hand block-printed florals drawn from the living vocabulary of Indian textile craft. Block printing of this tradition traces its roots to the artisan clusters of Rajasthan, where carved wooden blocks are inked by hand and pressed with a practised rhythm that no machine can honestly replicate. The panelled construction adds gentle volume to the skirt, allowing the print to unfold across each section like illustrations across facing pages. Cotton this honest softens and improves with every wash, growing more familiar against the skin with wear. Style it with flat kolhapuris and a single strand of oxidised silver for a Sunday that deserves more than ordinary dressing, or layer the open top over a fitted kurta for an evening that calls for something considered and quietly joyful.
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Behind this piece
Hand block printing is among India's oldest textile traditions, practised with particular brilliance in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where artisans carve intricate motifs into seasoned teak or sheesham wood before pressing them, one deliberate stamp at a time, into cloth. The floral vocabulary woven through "Flora" belongs to this lineage: botanical forms that have appeared on Indian cotton since the Mughal period, refined across generations in workshops in Bagru and Sanganer. Pure cotton receives natural dyes and pigments graciously, and each panelled seam in this skirt is a quiet acknowledgement of a craftsperson's steady, practised hand.
How to style
Wear the skirt with the coordinating front-open top as designed, securing it with a fine twisted cord belt in raw brass for a pulled-together daytime look. For an evening gathering, pair it instead with a fitted off-white khadi kurta, kolhapuri block-heeled chappals, and oxidised silver jhumkas to let the floral print carry the conversation. On a relaxed morning, tuck a simple cotton camisole into the waistband and add tan leather sandals and a single thin gold bangle. This skirt transitions between occasions without effort, provided the print is given room to breathe.
Fabric & care
Pure cotton holds its character longest when washed in cold water by hand, using a gentle, pH-neutral detergent. Turn the skirt inside out before washing to protect the block-printed surface from abrasion. Avoid soaking for extended periods, as natural pigments used in hand block printing can soften with prolonged water exposure. Dry in open shade rather than direct sunlight, which will lift colour over repeated seasons. Iron on a medium setting while slightly damp, on the reverse side only. Store folded loosely in a breathable cotton bag, away from synthetic fabrics and humidity.
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