Printed Satin Short Kaftan with Stone work and Internal Drawstring
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 is cut from art silk satin, a fabric that carries light the way still water does, shifting between sheen and shadow with every movement. Printed in patterns that echo the ornamental vocabularies long favoured across Rajasthan and Gujarat, its surface is further dressed with delicate stone work, each piece set to catch the eye without overwhelming the hand. The internal drawstring at the waist is a quiet detail, allowing the silhouette to be gathered or left to fall freely, adapting to the wearer rather than dictating to her. Art silk brings the visual richness of mulberry silk to a fabric that is forgiving to wear and easy to care for, making this a piece suited to warm evenings and unhurried occasions alike. The free size speaks to an intention of ease, a garment meant to belong to many without altering itself for each. Pair it with flat kolhapuri sandals and a single strand of oxidised silver for daytime ease. For evening, let the stone work speak and keep jewellery restrained to a pair of small jhumkas.
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Behind this piece
The kaftan is among the oldest silhouettes in the world, travelling from the Ottoman court through Persia and into the Indian subcontinent, where it absorbed local ornamentation and became something entirely its own. This version is rendered in art silk, a fabric that captures satin's luminous drape without the weight of pure mulberry. The stone embellishments speak to a long tradition of surface adornment practised across Rajasthan and Gujarat, where craftspeople press, set, and arrange stones with patient precision. The internal drawstring is a quiet, practical flourish, tailoring the silhouette to the body without altering the garment permanently.
How to style
For a relaxed summer gathering, wear this kaftan over wide-leg palazzo trousers in ivory or champagne, finishing with kolhapuri flats and a single strand of freshwater pearls. For a festive occasion, layer it over a fitted churidar, cinch lightly with a fabric belt, and add jhumkas in gold with stone inlay that mirrors the kaftan's embellishments. For travel in warm climates, pair with cropped straight-cut linen trousers and slip-on mules in tan. The printed satin surface reads effortlessly across contexts, moving between intimate celebrations and cultural evenings without requiring reinvention.
Fabric & care
Art silk is a cellulose-based or synthetic weave designed to mimic silk's sheen; it responds best to hand-washing in cool water with a mild, pH-neutral detergent. Do not wring or twist the fabric. Gently press out excess water between two clean towels, then hang to dry in shade, away from direct sunlight, which can fade the print over time. Iron on a low-heat setting, with a pressing cloth placed between the iron and the satin surface, to protect the stone work. Store flat or loosely rolled, never folded sharply at the embellished areas.
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