Mitti Wool Kashmiri Crewel Duster

Geometric Wool Kashmiri Crewel Duster Mitti for women, part of a capsule collection of heirloom pieces rooted in a long history of crewel stitch. Blocks of cream, chestnut, and black come together across the body, punctuated by touches of golden Zari. A raised, kimono-style collar and dropped shoulders with slightly cropped sleeves define the shape marking this as a genuinely one-of-a-kind piece. Heavy-weight and fully lined in a silk-cotton blend, it falls to just below the knee substantial enough for cool evenings. Lovers of vintage jackets for women will recognize the value in this kind of hand embroidery, and it holds a firm place within sustainable women's fashion built on real artisanal history.

Story Behind the Textile

Master craftsmen in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, take 150 hours to embroider by hand the roughly 250,000 stitches on each of these coats. Known as crewel work, this technique is a type of free-running embroidery crafted from tight, continuous lines of chain stitch made with a crewel needle.

Although crewel work has been historically crafted around the world - from Mongolia to Britain - it is now most commonly associated with Kashmir. Known locally as jalakdozi, Kashmir has been famous for its exquisite crewel work since the 17th century, when it was a major cottage industry creating cloth for interiors for the European market.

Traditionally, Kashmiri crewel work comprises floral motifs and patterns and is used for furnishings and interiors. We've reimagined the traditional motifs and patterns in a contemporary design, which has been exquisitely executed by our Kashmiri artisans. Any variations or irregularities are part of the design and inherent to the production process.