Naksha Kantha Dune Robe - Emerald

Wandering Silk's signature Kantha Dune Robes are one size overlays, crafted from a single length of fabric and designed to make the beautiful textiles into highly wearable pieces which drape, layer and flow beautifully.

This style of overlay is made from all-over hand-embroidered kantha on hand woven tussar silk. The kantha, a traditional folk stitch, has been reimagined in a contemporary geometric pattern and colourways.

The fabric is light and soft and has a gentle drape. It is unlined. Please note that each robe is unique; colour positioning and shades differ slightly from piece to piece.

Story Behind the Design

The creation of the Nakshi Kantha is a lengthy process, laboriously undertaken in the verdant villages of rural West Bengal. Under the auspices of 60 year old Takdira Begum, a national awardee for her kantha work, 100 skilled women artisans hand embroider this beautiful fabric.

The first step in this process is the design of the pattern to be embroidered, which is then drawn onto tracing paper. This is done by Takdira Begum. Next, the lines of the pattern are punctured with a pin and the paper is then laid over the silk fabric. A paste of chalk and turpentine is then rubbed over the paper, and seeps through the small pin-holes onto the fabric below.

Now the silk has the pattern lines traced onto it. It's ironed and distributed amongst the artisans who take it home and stitch the kantha. Once complete, the fabric is hand washed several times to remove any stains and the tracing lines. Any variations or irregularities are part of the design and inherent to the production process.