Pashni — soft as the thing you reach for first.

Powder blue cotton, worked over in white chikankari. The stitches are done by hand in Lucknow, where this craft has been practised for centuries — jaali, murri, bakhiya, each one worked with a needle by someone who learnt it from someone else.

It's a straight cut in calf length, so it falls clean and skims rather than clings. The round neckline opens into a small slit at the centre, and the three-quarter sleeves carry the embroidery through to the cuff. Regular fit, which means it moves with you rather than holding you in place.

The colour is the quiet part. Powder blue reads cooler than white, warmer than grey, and it goes with practically everything already in your cupboard.

Why you'll reach for it

• Hand-embroidered chikankari — needle work done by Lucknow artisans, not machine-simulated
• 100% pure cotton — genuinely breathable, the right weight for Indian summers
• Calf length, straight cut — the most versatile kurti silhouette, works with anything below
• Round neck with slit — soft, uncomplicated, sits well with a chain or jhumkas
• 3/4 sleeves — practical for daily wear, and they don't ride up
• Powder blue — a colour that doesn't fight anything else you own

Product details

How to style it

Straight cotton pants or churidar in white for the classic reading. Denim underneath if you'd rather it feel casual — powder blue and indigo sit well together. Skip heavy jewellery; chikankari does better with silver studs or thin jhumkas than with anything competing for attention. Kolhapuris or juttis finish it.

Wash & care

• Hand wash separately
• Use a mild detergent
• Do not soak
• Dry in shade
• Avoid direct sunlight

Chikankari thread is fine and the fabric is unlined, so gentle handling extends the life of the piece considerably. Iron on the reverse.

About the craft

Chikankari is a hand-embroidery tradition from Lucknow, built from a vocabulary of stitches worked on lightweight cotton and muslin. Because every piece is stitched by hand, motif spacing and stitch density vary slightly from one kurti to the next. That variation is the signature of the craft.

a) Slight variations in color may occur due to lighting and screen differences.

b) Natural-dyed colors may bleed during first few washes.

c) Minor irregularities in embroidery, print, or stitching are inherent to handmade products and enhance their uniqueness.

d) Shrinkage up to 5% may occur; proper wash care can limit shrinkage to 2%.