Rainbow Rabari Embroidery Boho Cross-body Bag with Sequins and Mirror Work
Machine or hand-wash cold, inside out. Air-dry in shade. Iron on medium heat. Wash with similar colours the first time.
Complete your look
Hand-picked pieces that sing gently with this one.
Behind this piece
The Rabari are a nomadic pastoral community of Kutch and Saurashtra, and their embroidery is among the most vivid textile traditions in Gujarat. Women stitch these pieces across a lifetime, encoding identity, community, and ceremony into every geometric motif. The circular mirrors, known as shisha work, catch and scatter light as the ancient belief held they would deflect the evil eye. Paired here with jubilant sequin work on cotton, this cross-body bag carries that same ancestral energy: a small, portable archive of a living tradition stitched entirely by hand.
How to style
Carry this bag against an ivory Lucknowi chikankari kurta for a textiles-meet-textiles pairing at a weekend gallery opening or festive brunch. For diaspora dressing abroad, it grounds a linen co-ord or wide-leg trousers with the sort of grounding that no high-street accessory can replicate. On a casual afternoon, sling it across a plain indigo kurta with Kolhapuri chappals and oxidised silver earrings. The rainbow palette holds its own without competition; keep your jewellery simple, your silhouette relaxed, and let the Rabari needlework carry the conversation.
Fabric & care
Spot-clean the cotton embroidery with a barely damp muslin cloth; do not submerge in water, as prolonged soaking loosens the shisha mirrors and weakens the thread anchoring the sequins. The leather base and strap should be wiped with a dry cloth and conditioned lightly every few months using a natural leather balm. Store the bag stuffed with acid-free tissue to hold its shape, away from direct sunlight, which fades the coloured threads over time. With attentive handling, the cotton will soften beautifully and the embroidery will remain intact for many years.
More from womens tops
Sale
Sale
Sale
Sale
Sale
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share your thoughts.
From the Journal
Stories about the craft, the loom, and the wearing of a piece like this one.
