BENGALURU: You might have seen Sara Ali Khan or Janhvi Kapoor casually wearing a chikankari kurta and looking flawless, or Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone wearing heavy chikankari ensembles and making all heads turn. But whatever it is, the versatility of this fabric, that comes from the Nawab’s land of Lucknow, knows no bounds. With the festival season upon us, chikankari fabric is back on the luxury scene with many fashion designers coming up with collections using chikankari.
For instance, celebrity designer Megha Kapoor’s latest men’s collection is a fusion of chikankari and her signature mirrorwork. “I wanted to do something different for men’s styles. In my previous collection, I used sequin as my base fabric. This time I have used organza and floral print. I just wanted to do something different but I wanted it to be a little heavy so I added some mirror work. Because mirrors go extremely well with that sort of a print,” says Kapoor.
What she loves about the fabric is its not-so-heavy aspect which gives it a bandwidth to be used in any way. “I know a lot of brides and grooms who swear by chikankari. It’s something that anyone can go in for, it’s for anybody unlike sequins which can be heavy that you have to think twice before adding embroidery,” elaborates Kapoor. Designer Vrinda Sachdev agrees.
The fabric is special because it has an heirloom factor to it. “Our mothers and grandmothers have worn it that way; it is classic,” says Sachdev. And since there is room for experimentation with the fabric, it gives a wider range of options as well. “Usually chikankari work is done on georgette. Now, since there are seasonal changes with longer summers, chikankari has somewhat become a craft for all seasons. If you are wearing a nice chikankari work outfit during the peak of winter, it still looks stylish,” explains Sachdev. Her latest collection is for men.
“We have done front-open kurtas. If you want to take something understated yet glamorous, then chikankari is your best bet,” says Sachdev, adding that one can wear it with all kinds of jewellery like gold, silver, diamonds, pearls, and the list goes on. With the festive and wedding season here, Preeti Jain, a chartered accountant, who is preparing for her friend’s wedding, decided to go for a chikankari work saree. “I wanted to wear a saree for the reception, which is also a cocktail evening. So I picked a beautiful ivory saree. It is something that I could go back to again for any other occasion,” says Jain.