Chikankari Mul Chanderi Dress Material Ivory Black Floral

A unstitched dress material in warm ivory hand embroidered in the heritage needle craft of Lucknow in deep jet black thread A single column of black floral bootas runs down the centre of the neckline placket framed by a finely outlined neck and larger leaf and flower bootas are spaced across the body of the kameez The sheer matching dupatta repeats the black bootas with a golden zari edge and knotted tassels It arrives as three unstitched pieces kameez fabric plain bottom and dupatta ready to be tailored to your size The bold bootas make the stitching easy to inspect Each motif is built in bakhiya shadow work sewn from the reverse so the black thread reads as a soft slightly raised shadow under the sheer cotton rather than a flat printed block the outlines are walked in tepchi running stitch and the flower hearts tied in murri knots one by one Look at the back and you will find the herringbone of the shadow work and small thread tails on hand chikan the reverse is part of the design A machine boota by contrast is mechanically identical every time and clean underneath Chikankari has been stitched in Lucknow since the Mughal court and has carried a Geographical Indication for the city since 2008 The cloth moves between block printer karigar and washer over many days which is why the spacing of one boota to the next varies by a little Jet black on ivory is quietly formal easy for work festive enough with the right jewellery Have it tailored straight or A line drape the tasselled dupatta and finish with oxidised silver or gold to suit the day