Green Net Hand-woven Fabric from Banaras with Large Embroidered Bootis
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Description
Light falls differently through Banarasi net, as though the cloth itself were woven from evening air. This pure silk net fabric is crafted in the ancient looms of Varanasi, a city whose weaving traditions have endured for centuries along the banks of the Ganga. Across its diaphanous ground, large embroidered bootis are placed with the careful confidence of artisans who understand scale, weight, and visual rhythm. Each boti carries the density of hand-work, standing out against the sheer green ground in a play of presence and transparency that is particular to this tradition. The fabric belongs to a long lineage of Banarasi silk-work that has dressed festive occasions, weddings, and celebratory gatherings with quiet opulence. Its sheerness makes it as much an object of beauty as a material for garment-making, and it rewards a slow, unhurried look. Use it as an overlay on a silk slip or structured blouse for a contemporary layered silhouette. It also works beautifully fashioned into a dupatta, allowing the embroidered bootis to catch the light with every movement.
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Behind this piece
Banaras has been weaving net silk for centuries, its gossamer grounds traditionally reserved for the courts of Awadh and the trousseau chests of old zamindar families. This fabric belongs to that lineage. The large embroidered bootis, worked in the classic Banarasi idiom, draw on floral and botanical motifs that travelled along Mughal trade routes and settled permanently into the city's loom culture. The net ground itself demands exceptional technical control; weavers on Varanasi's pit looms must maintain even tension across an open weave that forgives nothing. The result is both weightless and architecturally precise.
How to style
Cut this into a sharply tailored jacket to wear over ivory wide-leg trousers for a contemporary festive evening. Alternatively, layer it as an unlined dupatta over a raw silk kurta in ivory or deep teal, letting the bootis float visibly against the underlayer. For a more formal occasion, consider a fully lined anarkali silhouette; the net overlay will catch candlelight beautifully. Pair any of these with Hyderabadi pearl drops or uncut polki sets. Gold kolhapuris or block-heeled mules in nude suede will ground the ethereal quality of the fabric without competing with it.
Fabric & care
Pure silk net is among the more delicate weaves in the Banarasi canon. Dry-clean only; do not attempt hand-washing, as the open net structure distorts easily when wet and the embroidered bootis may lose their crispness. Store flat or rolled loosely in unbleached muslin, never in plastic, which traps humidity and weakens silk fibres over time. Keep away from direct sunlight to preserve the depth of colour. Before storage, ensure the fabric is completely dry and free of perfume or hairspray residue, both of which accelerate silk degradation. Handled with care, this fabric will outlast generations.
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