Multicolored Digital-Printed Kaftan with Dori on Waist
Gentle hand-wash separately in cold water with a mild detergent. Avoid soaking. Iron on medium heat while slightly damp.
Description
Colour, when worn like a second skin, becomes its own quiet declaration. This kaftan arrives in four moods: the cool depth of Blue Atoll, the flush of Raspberry Sorbet, the contemplative softness of Royal Lilac, and the forthright warmth of Tomato Red. Each shade is rendered through digital printing on viscose, a fabric known for its silk-like drape and the way it moves with the body rather than against it. The multicoloured composition draws on the vocabulary of South Asian textile traditions, where pattern and pigment have always been treated as a form of storytelling. A gathered dori at the waist offers gentle definition, allowing the silhouette to shift between ease and intention. Made to order, each piece is produced with care rather than haste, a small but meaningful resistance to the rhythms of fast fashion. Pair it with kolhapuri sandals and a single brass cuff for an unhurried summer afternoon. For cooler evenings, a fine cotton dupatta in a complementary tone settles the look beautifully.
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Behind this piece
Digital textile printing arrived in India as a continuation of a long obsession with surface decoration, one that stretches from the block-printed cottons of Bagru to the resist-dyed silks of Banaras. On viscose, the medium finds particular fluency. The fabric absorbs pigment with an almost watercolour softness, allowing the multicoloured palette here, Blue Atoll, Raspberry Sorbet, Royal Lilac, Tomato Red, to bloom without harshness. The kaftan silhouette itself carries older roots: the loose, gracious form that travelled trade routes and became, across centuries, a garment of unhurried elegance. This piece is made to order, produced with deliberate intention rather than in bulk.
How to style
Wear the Blue Atoll colourway on a warm evening with flat Kolhapuri chappals and a single oxidised silver cuff, nothing more. The Tomato Red reads boldly enough for a festival lunch; anchor it with ivory palazzo trousers beneath and terracotta jhumkas at the ear. For a relaxed diaspora wedding reception, the Royal Lilac paired with strappy block-heeled sandals and a delicate kundan tikka offers a silhouette that is contemporary yet unmistakably rooted. The dori at the waist allows the kaftan to be worn open and flowing or cinched lightly, giving each occasion a different register entirely.
Fabric & care
Viscose is a cellulose-based regenerated fibre, meaning it shares cotton's affinity for moisture and its impatience with rough handling. Hand wash this kaftan in cool water using a mild, pH-neutral detergent. Never wring or twist the fabric; press the water out gently and lay the garment flat on a clean cotton towel to dry away from direct sunlight, which fades digital prints over time. Iron on low heat while slightly damp, on the reverse side. Store folded rather than hung, as viscose can distort along the shoulders when suspended for long periods.
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