Beige Embroidered Silk Saree with Gold Zari Border – Bhagalpuri Handloom

Bela

A warm beige-gold silk, embroidered in ivory white — a band of flowering vine running the length of the pallu, single blooms scattered across the body, and fine gold zari stripes closing the border.

About the embroidery

The flowers are embroidered in ivory thread with a rust-copper thread at each centre, so they read as white from across a room and warm up as you come closer. Fine scrolling leaf sprays run between them.

On the pallu the work gathers into a continuous vertical band; on the body it opens out into single blooms set far apart, which keeps the cloth calm and lets the colour of the silk carry the piece. White on a warm gold ground is a restrained combination — no colour anywhere except that single copper note at the centre of each flower.

About the fabric

Pure handloom silk, woven in Bhagalpur. It has a soft slub running through it and a matte gold lustre rather than a flat shine, so the ground shifts between sand and honey depending on the light. It drapes with body and holds a pleat well.

Details

• Fabric: Pure handloom silk
• Colour: Beige-gold with ivory and copper embroidery
• Work: Floral thread embroidery
• Body: Scattered embroidered floral butis
• Border: Gold zari stripe bands, both sides
• Pallu: Embroidered floral band with gold zari stripes and frayed fringe
• Saree length: 5.5 m · Width: 1.10 m
• Blouse piece: 0.80 m, matching, unstitched
• Package contains: 1 saree with blouse piece
• Wash care: Dry clean only

On handloom

Handloom cloth is woven entirely by hand, without electric power — a rhythm of foot and shuttle that takes years to learn and cannot be hurried. Every weaving cluster has its own way of rendering a weave, particular to its region, its yarn and its craft, which is why two handloom sarees from different districts never quite look alike.

On colour and variation

Each piece is woven individually, so slight unevenness in the slub and in the selvedge is inherent to the process rather than a defect. Colour may vary slightly from your screen.