Chikankari Mul Chanderi Dress Material White Tonal Jaali

The classic of classics an unstitched two piece chikankari dress material from Lucknow in pure milk white cotton embroidered tone on tone a deep yoke of jaali lattice floral vines and knotted phanda work in white thread on white cloth with a matching bottom length and a white dupatta edged in a slim gold border White on white is where hand chikankari is hardest to fake because the work has nowhere to hide Tilt the fabric against the light hand stitches catch it unevenly giving the yoke a low shifting relief machine embroidery reflects flat and uniform Find the jaali panels genuine jaali is made by parting the weave with the needle and binding the gaps so each tiny window is slightly its own shape punched machine net is perfectly regular Run a fingertip over the phanda knots millet grain bumps that vary in plumpness each one tied by hand The reverse shows the soft herringbone shadow of bakhiya work the underside that machine pieces lack Tailor it into a crisp summer kurta white chikankari is Lucknow s answer to the heat worn for everything from office days to Eid mornings It pairs with everything silver jhumkas and a coloured bottom give it an easy lift