Navy-Blue Luxurious Brocade with Hand-woven Flowers
Dry clean only. Store folded in a soft muslin pouch away from direct sunlight to keep the sheen alive.
Description
Pure Silk Handloom Brocade<br>Weaver Kasim Family of Banaras. 22.5 Inches Wide
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Behind this piece
Banaras has woven silk into ceremony for over five centuries, and the Kasim family carries that unbroken thread. This navy-blue brocade is worked on a handloom using the city's classical technique, where supplementary silk wefts are lifted by hand to build each flower from within the cloth itself. The deep indigo ground absorbs light quietly, then releases it through the raised motifs. Brocade of this weight and density is reserved for occasions that warrant silk's full authority. It is not printed, not embroidered after the fact; the design is structural, woven into the fabric's very architecture.
How to style
Cut this into a floor-length anarkali with a fitted churidar for a winter wedding reception, letting the flowers do the work at the hemline. For a more sculptural silhouette, consider a structured blazer paired with wide-leg trousers in ivory crepe. The navy ground pairs beautifully with uncut diamond jhumkas or antique gold Kundan, both of which echo the brocade's own handwrought quality. On the feet, nude block heels keep the focus on the fabric. Diaspora wearers might layer it as a statement coat over a silk slip for an evening event.
Fabric & care
Pure silk handloom brocade should never meet a washing machine. Dry-clean after each wearing, and air the garment between uses by hanging it in a ventilated, shaded space. Store folded in soft muslin, never in plastic, which traps moisture and weakens silk fibres over time. Do not press the raised brocade motifs directly; steam lightly from the reverse side using a cloth barrier. Keep away from direct sunlight, which bleaches the indigo ground gradually. Handled with this care, a Banarasi brocade of this quality will outlast the occasion it was made for by several generations.
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