Printed Short Kaftan with Dori at Waist
Gentle hand-wash separately in cold water with a mild detergent. Avoid soaking. Iron on medium heat while slightly damp.
Description
Some silhouettes carry the ease of a long afternoon, and this kaftan is precisely that kind of garment. Cut from fluid viscose, it drapes with the unhurried grace of fabric that has been thoughtfully chosen for movement and breathability, making it well suited to the warm, humid rhythms of Indian summers. The block-printed surface draws on a long tradition of hand-applied print-work, where pattern and colour are considered together as a single conversation between artisan and cloth. Four distinct colourways, blue, grey, green, and pink, each shift in character depending on the light, the way only a surface with genuine depth can. A dori tie at the waist allows the silhouette to be drawn in gently or left to fall freely, so the fit remains personal rather than prescribed. The made-to-order nature of this piece means it is produced with intention, not in excess. Wear it over narrow linen trousers for an unhurried weekend at home, or layer a fine cotton dupatta across one shoulder for an evening that calls for a little more consideration.
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Behind this piece
The kaftan arrived in South Asia through centuries of trade along the Arabian Sea, carried by Persian and Ottoman merchants before finding its quietest, most lasting home in the coastal wardrobes of India. This printed interpretation honours that lineage, rendered in viscose that moves the way the original cotton and silk kaftans once did in Kutch and Kerala port towns. The dori at the waist is a nod to the angrakha tradition, where a single tie transformed a loose silhouette into something considered, intentional, and entirely one's own. Thirty Indian households have already made it theirs.
How to style
Wear the blue or green colourway to a terrace gathering with flat Kolhapuri chappals in tan leather and a single oxidised silver choker. For a work lunch with some ease to it, the grey reads quietly under a linen blazer paired with pointed mules. The pink is made for a daytime puja or a friend's mehendi, layered with glass bangles from Firozabad and left otherwise unadorned. Because the dori cinches the waist on demand, each of these occasions asks only that you decide how much silhouette you want.
Fabric & care
Viscose is a regenerated fibre, cool to the hand but sensitive to water when careless. Hand wash in cold water alone, using a mild, pH-neutral detergent. Do not wring or twist the fabric. Instead, press the water out gently and dry flat in shade, away from direct sun, which fades printed grounds quickly. Iron on a low setting while the fabric is still slightly damp. Store folded, not hung, as viscose stretches under its own weight over time. Treat it well and the print will remain vivid for several seasons.
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