Multicolor Art Silk Stone work Short Kaftan with Internal Drawstring and Printed Motifs
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Description
Some garments ask nothing of you except that you wear them well. This short kaftan arrives in a vivid wash of colour, its surface animated by printed motifs that recall the decorative vocabulary of Indo-Persian textile traditions, where pattern was never ornament alone but always carried meaning. The fabric is art silk, chosen for its fluid drape and the way it catches light with a quiet luminosity, somewhere between the restrained and the festive. Stone work, applied by hand at considered intervals, lends the piece a gentle weight and a glint that rewards close attention. The internal drawstring allows the silhouette to be drawn in or left loose, making this kaftan as comfortable at a summer afternoon gathering as it is at an evening occasion that calls for colour without ceremony. Free-sized in its construction, it holds within it a generosity of form that suits many bodies and many moods. Wear it over slim trousers in a tonal shade, or let it stand alone as a dress with flat kolhapuri sandals and a single silver bangle for company.
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Behind this piece
The kaftan form carries centuries of cross-cultural memory, travelling from the Ottoman courts through Mughal sensibility before finding a distinctly Indian expression in festive resort and occasion wear. This piece is rendered in art silk, a fabric that honours the luminosity of pure silk while offering greater accessibility and resilience. The stone work applied across its surface continues a tradition of surface embellishment practised by artisan communities across Rajasthan and Gujarat, where the hand-setting of decorative stones onto fabric remains a skill passed carefully between generations. The printed motifs beneath the stonework give the garment a layered, painterly quality.
How to style
For an evening gathering, wear this kaftan over slim palazzo trousers in ivory or champagne, and finish with oxidised silver jhumkas and block-heeled kolhapuris. At a beach wedding or sundowner event, let it stand alone as a dress, cinching the internal drawstring at the waist and pairing with gold flat sandals and a single stone-set bangle. For a casual festive afternoon, layer a fine cotton churidar beneath, add a potli clutch in a complementary jewel tone, and choose small pearl drops at the ear to let the stone work remain the focal point.
Fabric & care
Art silk responds best to a gentle cold-water hand wash using a mild, pH-neutral detergent. Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric; press the water out softly and lay flat on a clean towel to dry away from direct sunlight, which can shift the printed colours over time. The stone work should be kept away from prolonged soaking. Iron on a low setting with a pressing cloth placed between the iron and the fabric surface. Store folded in a breathable muslin bag, away from moisture and synthetic materials, to preserve both the lustre and the integrity of the embellishments.
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