KAJ.026

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

This richly constructed kimono-style jacket is crafted from three culturally significant vintage handwoven textiles — a coarse cotton Panika weave from Chhattisgarh, India and a brocaded Guatemalan backstrap loom textile from the highlands — on one side, and natural-dyed vintage Kalamkari on the reverse.

Panika Weave – Chhattisgarh, India

The coarse cotton fabric used here was traditionally woven by the Panika community of central India, primarily in Chhattisgarh and parts of Madhya Pradesh. Known for their utilitarian and spiritually symbolic cloths, Panika weavers use pit looms and locally spun cotton yarns to create narrow-width textiles with simple but potent iconography.

This vintage textile features a maroon border and a small geometric motif that represents the sun, a recurring symbol of protection, sustenance, and seasonal rhythm. These textiles were typically worn during agricultural cycles or household rituals, and their irregular textures speak to the handmade quality and rural heritage of the piece.

Guatemalan Highland Textile – Western Guatemala

This handwoven brocade was created using a backstrap loom, a traditional technique passed down through generations of Maya women in the Guatemalan highlands. Likely originating from the Sololá or Totonicapán region, the textile features a central vertical panel filled with symbolic motifs: sunbursts, ceremonial urns, and geometric emblems representing fertility, cardinal directions, and cosmic balance.

Each figure is manually inserted into the base weave using a supplementary weft, requiring advanced skill and cultural knowledge. Traditionally, such textiles formed part of ceremonial garments and embodied the weaver’s connection to land, ancestry, and sacred time.

Kalamkari Textile – Machilipatnam, India

The reverse of the jacket features a vintage natural-dyed Kalamkari textile from the Machilipatnam region of Andhra Pradesh, India. This cloth is made using hand-carved wooden blocks and a meticulous dyeing process that layers plant-based pigments such as indigo, madder, and iron.

The textile displays repeating floral vines, medallions, and Mughal-inspired motifs in a structured layout — a characteristic of Machilipatnam’s block-printing tradition. Originally exported along historic trade routes, Kalamkari fabrics served both ritual and domestic purposes and are among India’s most enduring forms of textile storytelling.

Keynote from Karatoyaa:

•  Please note, that due to the antique nature of the fabrics there may be signs of past experiences – we believe it adds value and 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 a professional service provider.