Short Kaftan with Printed Paisleys and Dori at the Waist
Gentle hand-wash separately in cold water with a mild detergent. Avoid soaking. Iron on medium heat while slightly damp.
Description
Some silhouettes are less about structure and more about ease, and this short kaftan understands that instinctively. Rendered in fluid viscose that moves with a quiet, unhurried grace, it carries the paisley motif at its most familiar and yet its most alive. The paisley, or boteh, has travelled centuries across Persian and Indian textile traditions, finding a particularly devoted home in the printed fabrics of Rajasthan and the Deccan workshops where block and screen printing have long been practised as a meditative craft. Here, the motif repeats across the body with a lightness that feels contemporary rather than archival. A dori at the waist introduces a gentle gathering, allowing the silhouette to shift between flowing and fitted as the mood demands. The colourways, spanning the depths of Aegean Blue and Seaport to the warmth of Pink and Brown and Red and Black, each carry their own distinct temperament. Wear it over wide-leg linen trousers for an afternoon that moves between the indoors and a sunlit veranda. Flat kolhapuris in tan leather would complete the picture without interruption.
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Behind this piece
The paisley is one of craft history's great travellers. Born in the teardrop-shaped boteh motif of Kashmiri shawl-weaving, it migrated through Persian textile courts, arrived in Scottish mill towns, and returned to the subcontinent transformed yet entirely itself. On this kaftan, the motif is printed onto viscose with the kind of considered placement that respects its curvilinear logic. The dori at the waist recalls the practical elegance of traditional Indian silhouettes, where a simple cord could define form without constraint. In Aegean Blue or Red and Black, the print reads as genuinely contemporary while carrying centuries of ornamental memory.
How to style
For a coastal evening, wear the kaftan in Seaport over wide-leg ivory linen trousers, with Kolhapuri chappals in tan leather and a single oxidised silver bangle. For a daytime gathering, the Pink and Brown colourway pairs beautifully with a block-printed cotton dupatta in terracotta and earrings in carved bone. On cooler evenings, layer the Aegean Blue version over a fitted white kurta, cinch the dori firmly, and finish with mojris in deep teal. Each combination lets the paisley speak without competition from heavily embellished accessories.
Fabric & care
Viscose breathes like cotton but requires gentler handling. Hand-wash this kaftan in cold water with a mild, ph-neutral detergent, keeping agitation minimal to preserve the printed surface. Do not wring; instead, press gently between two clean towels to remove excess water. Dry flat in shade, away from direct sunlight, which can shift the depth of printed colours over time. Iron on low heat while still slightly damp, on the reverse side. Store folded loosely in a cotton muslin bag rather than hanging, which prevents fibre distortion along the shoulder seams.
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