Cotton Silk is one of the most popular fabric produced by India. Cotton Silk of every state in India differs from the other & just the tracing of this beautiful buttery fabric, whether Handloom or Powerloom, is an absolute delight.
Meiraas presents Aqua Blue Rajnigandha saree on Cotton Silk.
This saree has a beautifully embroidered long & heavy palla of Indian Garden Art & the borders of the palla are locked with an unique "bel" (creeper) of Paisley.
The saree is embroidered by our regular unit & is yet another example of how we managed to create highly skilled craft from a unit that was accustomed to making rough & unskilled work.
When you choose to add this saree to your wardrobe, you contribute towards encouraging skilled & improved craftsmanship for artisans who toiled for over 1 year in creating these wonders.
Additional Details:
Gota Kingri in Gold/Silver is not visible in the images, but will be added on the saree before shipping. To see how that looks, you can check Pink Rajnigandha Cotton Silk Saree of same price range.
The Model in the picture is of 5ft 7.5 inches height & is wearing no heels.
Colours like Blue, Red & Green are a little difficult in catching the exact colour. However, we are posting the closest colour here. Some variation in colour will happen due to digital medium of viewing the product.
THE SUSTAINABILITY QUOTIENT (TSQ):
- 120 Count Linen x Line Handloom saree: The Linen is finest quality and Handwoven for Meiraas on order
- Linen weave commissioned for Meiraas, therefore full quality control
- Thrice filtered Azo Free Dye for best & most sustainable results.
POSHAAK (detailed process about the garment)
We will go into detail in explaining our Nui Shibori process. While there are many Nui Shibori sarees available everywhere, most lack the intensity & design aesthetics; possibly this is why, despite being a beautiful art that attracts many, Nui Shibori has also seen a clutter of unfinished or less finished products that render the buyer confused about the quality.
Our Nui Shibori designs are first designed on paper, and the traced on fabric. The fabric is given more folds while creating resist pattern to increase the intensity of the design. To create resist on so many folds, a thicker needle, than usual, is used to do embroidery on the traced pattern (embroidery is done via sewing machine). Please note that these 2 steps - more folds & thicker needle that penetrates the folds - are critical to create the intense design pattern of Nui Shibori.
If the needle does not penetrate all layers, then you cannot see the clear holes on the fabric that are the mark & beauty of Nui (Embroidery) Resist.
Post embroidery, the embroidery threads are meticulously pulled to create resist (since we use very premium fabrics, this process takes time as a careless pulling can damage the fabric).
The dye is filtered thrice; this step is another important step, as Shibori is about colour textures on resist tie & dye. The smoother the pigment, the more beautiful will be the end result.
After dying, the threads of resist are meticulously pulled out, another laborious process, as one wrong pull will render the whole saree damaged. The saree is then washed in salted water to fix the colour & dried.
Our Shibori sarees win hearts wherever they go. They are stunning and intense in their design palette. The colour used in this saree is Indigo pigment mixed with Purple pigment which makes the saree give a mix of both colours in different lights!! A truly remarkable saree.
Please Note that Linen is a thermostatic fabric & absorbs & reflects back colour according to its nature. In white light the colour will carry deep Indigo Hue, & in Yellow light, its Purples will come out. This is the nature of both the colour & fabric and its beauty. Please factor this in when making the purchase.Please Note: Slight wrinkles are part of Pure Linen texture. Linen is the most low maintenance fabric. Ideally before draping this saree, take it out and spread it and hang somewhere at least a day before; its wrinkles will smoothen significantly. Mostly it should be worn with slight wrinkles, yet if you wish to iron the dhobi press will be fine, with a cloth on top.
"Panchtantra was a collection of Chanderi sarees I conceptualised & designed in 2018, & executed somewhere in 2019. I wanted to introduce the iconography of the tales of Panchtantra I had grown up reading & whose learning I always imbibed in me. The Kachua Khargosh (The Hare & The Tortoise) story is relevant even today & especially poignant for Sustainable Ventures. Even today, so many start ups want to take the leap of the Hare, & yet the Sustainable businesses should always be slow & steady like the Tortoise " - Vidhi Rastogi, Head of Creative, Meiraas
Aqua Blue saree depicting Rabbit & Tortoise motifs. The saree has allover motifs of Rabbit & Tortoise, with an especially crafted Palla. The saree is Handwoven & has EXCLUSIVE (first time done) motifs of Rabbit & Tortoise. Motifs are developed by Meiraas from art work to weaving stage.
A beautiful kingdom of Aqua is created for you with these Shibori sarees. Dolphins & ripples on water created with tie & dye on this refreshing blue colour is a saree for the eclectic lover of arts in you.
The first design of our signature Falaknuma motif are these sarees. Showcased in some premium shows like Red Earth Saree Festival, Dastkar, Sanatkada, Ficci Flo & SAARC event, this saree was the game changer in bringing back stories & concepts in Chikankari Craft as an ode to Lucknow. After the debut of this concept, designers in Chikankari started exploring motifs beyond floral art. The saree was first videographed on Isha Priya Singh (@desidrapes on IG) in June, 2018 at the gorgeous Lebua, Lucknow. Isha ji participated in the video purely as a goodwill gesture.
THE SUSTAINABILITY QUOTIENT (TSQ):
HANDLOOM CHANDERI WITH DIFFERENT COMPOSITION IN THE LOOM - this composition & style of weaving has made this Chanderi weave gossamer in feel & absolutely fantastic, unlike the Chanderi that is generally woven. It is our specialized weave. Let us call this FALAKNUMA CHANDERI by MEIRAAS.
UNIQUE WEAVE COMMISSIONED BY MEIRAAS - explained above
UNIQUE MEIRAAS BLOCKS - Art created from scratch. Motif Blocks drawn & chiseled by hand in ancient style. This gives more challenging & creative work to Block Artisans, who were being eliminated by many designers in favour of digital tracing.
RESHAM CHIKANKARI (HAND EMBROIDERY PRACTISED SINCE ANCIENT AGE)
Khayal (moodboard):
NAWABI SHAUK - The Slow Hobbies of Nawab Royalty
Kite Flying & Rooster Matches were some of the prominent hobbies of Nawabi Royalty. Kite Flying is also a beautiful ritual that celebrated the different faiths presiding in one city of Lucknow, thus a harmonious & binding activity.
Celebrated Indian Filmmaker, Satyajit Ray, in his 1977 classic "Shatranj Ke Khiladi", romanced the By-lanes of Lucknow & these slow civil rituals.
POSHAAK (about the dress):
This 3 D art saree is feather light & has a powder blue base with gold pure tested zari detailing on either side of the width of the saree. The embroidery is done using 2-3 colours; in this the fighting roosters were the toughest to create. The artwork had to look realistic, yet something that could be created successfully in Chikankari. The colours used to make the Roosters are the actual colours of "desi murga" or indigenous roosters of India. Multiple brainstorming sessions with artisans made this art of Rooster Fighting & Kite Flying come alive on the saree.
The moment of reckoning was when the son of the lead artisan, who was indifferent to the craft, beamed on seeing the saree.
The embroidery is till the end of the saree.
Styling Tip: This is a saree you treasure & hand down generation to generation. Wear it for day wedding functions, small intimate gatherings, in office, or when you want to dress up & listen to old vintage songs!! The possibilities are endless with a classic.
The first design of our signature Falaknuma motif are these sarees. Showcased in some premium shows like Red Earth Saree Festival, Dastkar, Sanatkada, Ficci Flo & SAARC event, this saree was the game changer in bringing back stories & concepts in Chikankari Craft as an ode to Lucknow. After the debut of this concept, designers in Chikankari started exploring motifs beyond floral art. The saree was first videographed on Isha Priya Singh (@desidrapes on IG) in June, 2018 at the gorgeous Lebua, Lucknow. Isha ji participated in the video purely as a goodwill gesture.
This Saree is Made on Order & will take 13-15 weeks to get made & dispatched.
THE SUSTAINABILITY QUOTIENT (TSQ):
HANDLOOM CHANDERI WITH DIFFERENT COMPOSITION IN THE LOOM - this composition & style of weaving has made this Chanderi weave gossamer in feel & absolutely fantastic, unlike the Chanderi that is generally woven. It is our specialized weave. Let us call this FALAKNUMA CHANDERI by MEIRAAS.
UNIQUE WEAVE COMMISSIONED BY MEIRAAS - explained above
UNIQUE MEIRAAS BLOCKS - Art created from scratch. Motif Blocks drawn & chiseled by hand in ancient style. This gives more challenging & creative work to Block Artisans, who were being eliminated by many designers in favour of digital tracing.
RESHAM CHIKANKARI (HAND EMBROIDERY PRACTISED SINCE ANCIENT AGE)
Khayal (moodboard):
Kabootarbaazi is inherent to the culture of Lucknow and Awadh. Whether romanced in Ruskin Bond's period novella "A Flight of the Pigeons" or appearing aesthetically in Ray's "Shatranj ke Khiladi", Pigeons and the skyline of Lucknow is synonymous with each other.
Mehraab or Archways are signature architectural style of Nawabi era. The old Lucknow is replete with Mehraab. The Pigeons flying atop Mehraabdaar monuments against a blue sky is not just a saree, it contains the remnants of every Luckhnavi's culture!!
POSHAAK (about the dress):
This 3 D art saree is feather light & has a turquoise base with gold pure tested zari detailing on either side of the width of the saree.
Depicting the favourite leisure activity of Awadhis, Kabootarbaazi or Flight of Pigeons is an ode to the slow life of Lucknow. We have shown Pigeons taking flight from top of Archways of old Lucknow. Each motif is made using 2-3 colours in one motif, that is a rare practise. Detailing like the beak of the Pigeons & Jaali & peaks of the Mehraab are done with Gold "kasab ki taar" (metallic filament). The embroidery is till the end of the saree.
Styling Tip: This is a saree you treasure & hand down generation to generation. Wear it for day wedding functions, small initimate gatherings, in office, or when you want to dress up & listen to old vintage songs!! The possibilities are endless with a classic.