Long Kurti with Chain Stitch Aari Embroidered Flowers from Kashmir
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Description
From the valleys where chinar leaves fall and artisans keep centuries of patience alive, this long kurti carries the unmistakable hand of Kashmiri aari work. Chain stitch embroidery, executed with a fine hooked needle known as the aari, traces blooming florals across the fabric in a tradition that has flourished in the Kashmir Valley for generations. The motifs follow the familiar language of the region: curving stems, layered petals, and a sensibility that feels simultaneously ancient and quietly contemporary. Art silk lends the kurti a gentle sheen and a fluid drape, making it comfortable enough for long afternoons and graceful enough for festive gatherings. Available in seven considered colourways, from the soft restraint of Dusty Lavender and Quiet Gray to the deeper warmth of Madder Brown and the confidence of Jet Black, each shade allows the embroidery to speak differently. Pair it with slim churidar trousers and kolhapuri sandals for a relaxed ethnic look, or layer it over straight-cut palazzo pants for an evening that calls for something more considered.
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Behind this piece
Chain stitch aari embroidery is one of Kashmir's oldest needle arts, worked with a fine hooked needle called the aari, which pulls thread through fabric in a continuous interlocking chain. Practised for centuries in the Kashmir Valley, the craft flourished under Mughal patronage and has since been sustained by communities of karigars across Srinagar and its surrounding towns. Each floral motif on this kurti follows a tradition of botanical naturalism, the same curling petals and leafwork that once adorned shawls destined for European courts. The art silk ground gives the embroidery a luminous, jewel-like depth.
How to style
In Dusty Lavender, pair this kurti with wide-leg ivory palazzos and kolhapuri sandals for a languid Sunday afternoon or a gallery opening. The Geranium Pink reads beautifully at a daytime mehendi alongside an antique Kundan choker and champagne mules. For Jet Black, consider straight-cut white linen trousers and oxidised silver jhumkas, a combination that lets the chain stitch flowers speak without competition. Any of the seven colourways work with a fine pashmina stole thrown loosely across the shoulders for cooler evenings. Keep the silhouette clean and let the embroidery anchor the look.
Fabric & care
Art silk is lustrous but sensitive. Hand wash this kurti separately in cold water with a mild, pH-neutral detergent, and never wring or twist the fabric. Rinse thoroughly and press the water out gently between two clean towels. Dry flat and away from direct sunlight, which fades both the ground colour and the embroidery thread over time. Iron on a low setting with a pressing cloth placed between the iron and the embroidered surface to protect the chain stitch. Store folded in muslin or breathable cotton, away from damp and direct light, to preserve the sheen and structure.
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