KAJ.024

This one-of-a-kind garment is reversible and unique from each side.

This rich kimono style jacket is crafted from hand woven indigo dyed cotton from Wardha, Maharashtra and Thai handwoven silk Ikat elements on one side and hand spun vintage  Tussar silk from Benares  in light purple with dusty pink geometric patterns and beautiful hand embroidered floral motives on the sleeves and the back.

Tussar silk originated from medieval period. It is made by collecting the cocoons after silkworms has already emerged. Tribal communities residing in forests collect the cocoons. The magic of this fabric is that keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Khadi silk can be spun either out of pure silks or be blended with other yarns. Matka silk fibre, which comes from waste mulberry silk, is used to make the luminous matka khadi. The silk is usually obtained from Karnataka and Kashmir, and the yarn is woven into khadi fabric in the West Bengal.

             Mudmee, or ikat (which it is often called by expatriates), is hand woven Thai silk or cotton fabric that comes from Isaan, Thailand’s Northeastern region that is made up of 17 provinces on the Korat plateau. Ikat (pronounced ‘ee-KAHT’) is derived from the Malaysian word ‘mengikat’, which means ‘to tie/bind’, and is not used by Thais to describe the fabric. Mudmee is produced through the traditional method of tying in the desired pattern with straw, hay or banana ropes. The ropes stop water from affecting the silk or cotton yarns, whilst dyeing it in the process. The tied yarns move through the dyeing process, but only the untied yarns absorb the dye. The method is repeated as many times as necessary, depending on the preferred colour variations. Afterwards, each silk or cotton yarn is woven to create a variety of designs, combining the coloured areas to produce patterns. The mudmee motifs are based on the varieties of patterns and lines. There are three motif variations: weft mudmee, warp mudmee and double mudmee.

Traditionally in Thailand the nobility wore mudmee on a daily basis, whilst others wore it during festive occasions or ceremonies. Nowadays mudmee is worn more casually, though the complexity of the weaving makes it stand out from the majority of casualwear.

            Keynote from Karatoyaa:

• Please note, that  due to antique nature of the fabrics there may be signs of past experiences - we believe it adds value and a meaning to the garments.
• Some naturally dyed fabrics even after lasting generations may leave colour
• Please keep in mind that all Karatoyaa pieces are Dry Clean only with the Professional   service provider.
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