Olive green meets a fuchsia pink panel, paisley running across the join.

Why this piece

• Genuinely hand block printed with hand-carved wooden blocks, never a screen


• The contrast pink dupatta is finished with a paisley border along both edges


• Opaque silk that needs no lining, though one can be added to elevate the look

The colour block

The set is built on a deliberate clash. Olive green carries the body of the print, and a panel of fuchsia pink cuts against it, with light blue and beige paisleys travelling over both so the two halves read as one piece.

A linear rectangular border of paisleys closes the hem and runs down the dupatta edges, which is what makes the contrast look designed rather than accidental. If you have been searching for a green suit with a genuine contrast dupatta rather than a safe matching one, this is that piece.

Wearing it

Olive is forgiving in daylight and the pink lifts it, so this works as easily at a desk on a Monday as it does at a lunch or an afternoon function. Keep jewellery to oxidised silver or plain gold studs and let the two colours do the talking; a plain olive or pink chikan inner is all it needs if you want to underline one side.

Hand block printing on silk is unusual - the craft is normally told about cotton - and a genuinely block-printed Katan set at this price sits well below what a premium woven silk suit costs.

The set

• 
  Top: 2.5 m, 44 to 45 inches wide


• 
  Bottom: 2.5 m, 44 to 45 inches wide


• 
  Dupatta: 2.5 m, 35 to 36 inches wide


• 
  Fabric: Katan silk, hand block printed with hand-carved wooden blocks


• 
  Lining: not required, the fabric is opaque; add one only to elevate the look


• 
  Stitching: up to 4XL for straight kurta sets, with length customised for larger sizes


• 
  Weight: 600 to 650 g for top, bottom and dupatta together


• 
  Care: dry clean the first time, then a gentle cold hand wash


• 
  Dispatch: dispatched the next working day, even though every metre is printed by hand


• 
  Collection: Kairi
  

The paisleys sit a shade off register where the blocks meet the colour break. That is the stamp landing by hand, and it is what tells you no machine touched this cloth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the pink dupatta bleed onto the olive green when I wash it?

The fabric is colour-fast and does not bleed on the first wash. Dry clean the set the first time, then wash it gently in cold water and the contrast stays exactly as sharp as it looks now.

How can I tell this is hand block printed and not screen printed?

Look at the paisleys where the olive meets the pink. In hand block work the blocks are placed by hand, so the repeat shifts very slightly and the register varies across the cloth. A screen or machine print repeats identically every time.

What comes in the set and can I get it stitched to my size?

You get three unstitched pieces - top 2.5 m, bottom 2.5 m and dupatta 2.5 m. Your tailor can cut it to your exact fit, up to 4XL for straight kurta sets, with the length customised for larger sizes.

Does this suit need a lining or aster?

No. The fabric is opaque on its own. A lining is optional and only worth adding if you want a heavier, more formal fall.

What if the green is not the shade I expected?

If the shade or the quality is not what you hoped for, an exchange is available - write to us and we will sort it out.