Crisp white paisley and geometry, printed on a bold red silk ground.

Why this piece

• Only two colours, so every block impression is exposed


• Wide printed bands at the dupatta ends and the tunic hem


• Colour-fast, so the white does not pick up the red

The print

Two colours and nothing else. Floral, paisley and geometric blocks repeat in white across a bold red ground, gathering into prominent rectangular bands that frame the ends of the dupatta and the hem of the tunic while the body stays sparse. A monochrome pairing is unforgiving, which is why the crispness of each impression matters here more than on a busier set.

Styling

This is the one to keep for festivals and day weddings, where red does the work and the white keeps it from looking heavy. A plain red bottom, a straight kurta and the printed hem left uncut is the cleanest way to stitch it. Gold jewellery, and nothing on the wrists if the dupatta is draped wide.

The details

• 
  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


• 
  Weight: 600 to 650 g for all three pieces together


• 
  Stitching: tailor it to your exact fit, up to 4XL, with the length customised for larger sizes


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


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


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


• 
  Collection: Kinara
  

Look closely at where the paisleys meet and you will see the small joins that mark hand block work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the red bleed onto the white in the wash?

No. The fabric is colour-fast and does not bleed on the first wash, which is what protects a two-colour set like this one.

How do I know this is hand block printed and not machine printed?

Look at the repeats. Hand block printing leaves tiny shifts where one carved wooden block meets the next, and a little variation in how deeply the colour sits. Screen and machine printing repeat perfectly. Every metre of this set was stamped by hand in Bhagalpur, so those small differences are the proof, not a flaw.

What comes in the set, and can it be stitched for a larger size?

Three unstitched pieces: a top of 2.5 m, a bottom of 2.5 m, both 44 to 45 inches wide, and a dupatta of 2.5 m at 35 to 36 inches. That meterage lets a tailor cut it to your exact fit, up to 4XL, and the length can be customised for larger sizes.

How should I care for it?

Dry clean the first wash, then wash it gently by hand in cold water. The fabric is colour-fast and does not bleed on the first wash, so the print stays where the artisan put it.

What if I do not like the shade when it arrives?

Exchange is available if the shade or the quality is not what you loved. Screens do shift colour a little, so the fabric can read slightly warmer or cooler in daylight than it does on your phone.