The very first CONCEPT SAREE in Chikankari. This saree has Rumi Darwaza and sacred Fish Motifs of Awadh, all originally crafted by Meiraas.
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):
Built by Nawab Asaf Ud Daulah, the Rumi Darwaza, is the architectural leitmotif of Lucknow city. While the Darwaza is based on Turkey's Sublime Porte, our Rumi is much more magnificent & imposing as a structure, due to the skilled Indian "shilpkaars" that have perfected the art of astonishing monuments & mega structures since India's millenia old history.
Today, Rumi Darwaza, stands like an old King on beautifully cobbled streets of Lucknow, welcoming & opening the gates to Old City of Lucknow. The Fish Emblem is part of the state seal of UP. Fish is a scared symbol for both Hindus (Matsya Avatar) & Shia community in Lucknow.
POSHAAK (about the dress):
This 3 D art saree is made on Amber Charkha spun & Handwoven soft Cotton, and dyed in Azo Free dyes in soft Lavendar shade.
Depicting the signature architectural brilliance of Lucknow, this saree has Chikankari motifs of Rumi Darwaza & Fish Emblem of Nawabs. A conversation starter & showstopper saree by Meiraas, this is a true collector's delight.
Pastel powder grey Handloom Linen saree with Pastel Lemon Yellow colour Chikankari embroidery of Meiraas Exclusive motif - Amer. The fabulous part about colour on colour Chikankari is that the embroidered colour lends its own character to the base colour. Please read more details about the saree below.
THE SUSTAINABILITY QUOTIENT (TSQ):
- First Brand to launch Chikankari on the most sustainable fabric: Linen
- LINEN WEAVE COMMISSIONED FOR MEIRAAS, THEREFORE FULL QUALITY CONTROL
- RESHAM CHIKANKARI (HAND EMBROIDERY PRACTISED SINCE ANCIENT AGE)
- HAND PICKED ANCIENT ARCHIVED MOTIFS/ NEW OWN CREATED MOTIFS.
KHAYAAL (moodboard):
Yakshi Amer
The Rajasthani Floral art of Amer motif has mesmerised us, since we first laid eyes on it, during our travel in 2010. It is simple, yet an attractive motif of a flower vase encased inside an aala. The original motif is made using molten glass as paint. We always wanted to showcase this motif in both Chikankari as well as Mukaish.
Yakshi is a celestial nymph mentioned in Ancient Puranic texts and epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat. The khayal to name this collection, Yakshi came with the Temple Art of India, like Khajuraho group of temples; the celestial nymphs are set in stone in the most beautiful expressions in these temples. They have been made with such devotion and aesthetics that one can imagine them coming to life at night, and reliving the days of past glory!!
Linen as a fabric was extensively worn in almost all Ancient Civilisations. In fact some sources suggest the possibility of white on white embroidery being worn in Chandragupta Maurya's court; some ancient texts also talk of the legendary Maharaja Harshvardhan of Kashmir, only wearing White on White embroidered fabric.
POSHAAK (about the saree):
Amer has Meiraas Exclusive motif of a flower vase encased inside an aala, as seen in Amer Fort. The saree has this grand and exclusive motif on the Palla. The motif showcases masterclass Jaali (hand cutwork) embroidery of 2 kinds - Katori (squares like jaali) and Siddhaul (regular Jaali), both made in Kasab Gold Taar, making the process more skilled and time consuming. The vase has an outline of another cutwork - Double Hathkati.
It is a rare example of masterclass Chikankari. Rest of the palla has small floral motif in shadow embroidery. The same motif is scattered far apart in the body of the saree saree till the end.
The colour scheme is soft pastel on pastel play of - pastel grey & light lime. One of a kind!
Styling Tip: Like most Meiraas creations, this saree can be dressed up & down for multiple occasions, whether work wear or party wear. It has its own charm in both situations.
Imp: Some threads of the fabric shift at times due to round frame of Chikankari embroidery & nature of fabric. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
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.
Artisan Skill Enhancement: The artisan unit that has embroidered this Chikankri Saree had never worked on a saree before or done skilled stitch work. They had never even worked on any pure fabric & only did "shadow" "phanda" stitches for fast moving Chikan goods. Such nuanced work enhanced their skill and gives them better chance of earning more.
Slow Layout of Embroidery: The embroidery layout is in typical style of an Heirloom saree with more designs and even Shadow work. This breaks away from the allover simple Tepchi embroidery that is the norm of fast moving Chikan work.
Non Motorised Amber Charkha Spun Fabric yarn.
Handwoven high count Cotton Saree
Azo Free filtered dyeing
Khayal (moodboard): Rajnigandha collection is inspired by Everyday Effortless charm of saree draping from 1970s-80s, when the ladies of our homes used to drape sarees for everyday chores, & not just for occasions. There was a certain careless abandon in this style, that made the drapes very relatable and one with the wearer, which is an emotion missing now from saree draping. Since the collection finds its muse in 1970s middle cinema heroines, like Vidya Sinha, the names are kept reminiscent of the romance of those ages!! Thandi Chhaon (Cool Shade) is a slice of life name, that is evocative of the simple yet soulful era!!
Poshaak (about the saree):
To create this one of a kind Tepchi with Shadow embroidery layout, we re-imagined this saree in the style of design layout that is usually reserved for pure georgette Chikankari sarees; only, we gave this a twist suited best for good quality Tepchi embroidery. Instead of an allover same embroidery pattern, that is normal with Tepchi, we broke the palla layout into interesting panels to include more nuanced motifs & even included a Shadow stitch motif. This makes the layout of the saree unique, and allows the artisans to enhance their skill in Tepchi embroidery. Please remember, that only constant practise and challenges makes crafts perfect.
We absolutely love Tepchi Chikankari. The delicate Tepchi is quite literally Summer embroidered on your saree.
However, off late the Tepchi we have started getting in markets is a travesty. You will be lucky to find a really good quality Tepchi for office or casual wear. We have worked very hard on this saree to create a fantastic Tepchi & some shadow work masterpiece, along with Handwoven fabric!! This is a true collector's delight.
The Grey hue is unconventional & outstanding , making it a perfect & must have Chikankari wear.
Creating a Chikankari saree on Handspun Handwoven Cotton weave was always our dream. We have been successful in finding the perfect sustainable drape for our delicately embroidered sarees.
This is our Bestseller Saree since year 2020, and has been brought back into stock 4th time now. It is a perfect light office/lunch/brunch/casual wear saree, yet one that will make heads turn. The drape is perfect for any weather.
IMP: The model is 5ft 7.5 inches and is without heels in the shoot.
Styling Tip: Wear with Dopehri Cotton Chikankari Crop Top