Kashmiri Long Jacket with Multicolor Aari Embroidered Flowers
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Description
Jet black is not merely a colour here; it is the ground on which Kashmir speaks. This long jacket is worked in aari embroidery, a needle craft native to the Kashmir Valley in which a fine hooked needle pulls thread through fabric in continuous, looping chains to build up layered floral motifs with a depth that flat printing can never replicate. The flowers bloom in multicolour threads across the body and hem, drawing on a vocabulary of design that Kashmiri artisans have refined over many generations. The base fabric is art silk, which carries the sheen and drape of natural silk while remaining accessible in its weight and care requirements. Together, the dark ground and the vivid embroidery create a garment that reads as both formal and quietly celebratory, suited to festive evenings, cultural gatherings, and occasions where considered dressing matters. Wear it over a ivory or cream churidar to let the embroidery hold its full drama, or layer it over slim trousers in charcoal for an evening that stays composed yet richly detailed.
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Behind this piece
Aari embroidery takes its name from the hooked needle, the aari, that craftsmen in the Kashmir Valley have wielded for centuries. Concentrated in Srinagar and the surrounding townships, this tradition flourished under Mughal patronage, when flowering motifs became the visual language of royal court dress. Here, that same vocabulary of multicolour blooms is worked across art silk in long, unhurried strokes of the needle. The result is a jacket that carries the weight of a living craft, one still practised by skilled Kashmiri karigars who inherit technique through sustained apprenticeship rather than formal instruction.
How to style
In Flame Scarlet, layer this jacket over ivory wide-leg palazzos and finish with oxidised silver jhumkas for a festive lunch or curated art gallery opening. The Jet Black colourway pairs effortlessly with a monochrome silk kurta and straight-cut trousers, letting the embroidery command attention at an evening gathering. For daywear, try either shade over a fitted churidar with low block-heeled kolhapuris in tan leather. A delicate kundan bracelet kept to one wrist completes each look without competing with the embroidered florals that already animate the fabric.
Fabric & care
Art silk, a woven viscose filament, benefits from gentle hand-washing in cool water with a mild, pH-neutral detergent. Avoid prolonged soaking, which weakens the fibre and distorts the aari threadwork. Do not wring; press out water gently and dry flat in shade to prevent stretching at the shoulders. Iron on a low setting with a pressing cloth placed over the embroidered surface. Store folded in muslin or breathable cotton, away from direct light and moisture, to preserve both the lustre of the fabric and the vibrancy of the multicolour silk threads.
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