The empire strikes back

Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani and Muzzafar Ali have one thing in common. At the same time, India's best and b...

Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani and Muzzafar Ali have one thing in common. At the same time, India8217;s best and brightest have decided to take chikan to their couture houses. For a good reason. This embroidery is much more than a simple stitch, it is an art form in itself. And lends itself equally to sarees, dresses, kurtas and shirts. So much so that Dimple Kapadia is rumoured to have said that she would love to sleep in chikan.

Chikan comes from Lucknow and is a craft that goes back to the days of the Mughals. It prospered in the 18th century under the Nawabs of Oudh after they moved their capital to the city. And became quite the rage with the ladies of the court. No easy process, a chikan sari takes one worker up to six months to complete. In modern days, normally six women work on a sari after the design has been carved onto a wooden block. Then they embroider the exact motif with the required chikan stitch. The most common chikan stitch is the shadow one that looks like along, running dotted line and is typically worked on from the back. And requires nimble hands.

Which is why chikan does not come cheap. If you want a designer chikan sari then be ready to spend at least Rs 20,000. This fashion statement might well be worth the investment as chikan seems to be developing into a timeless classic like the Kanjeveeram and the Parsi gara.

The chikan that the designers are working on today is mainly on crepe and chiffon 8212; both materials which hold the work well. Some have used organza but chikan can look very stiff and loses its delicate nature on this fabric.

The shades that have emerged centre stage are white and pastel. Though Tarun has done a line of maroon chikan tunic tops, the softness and sensuality of the work stands out better on lighter colours. After all, the real beauty of chikan is its understated yet sensuous quality. But if you cannot go without shine, then chikan can be teamed up with silver baadla work. Or scatter some pearls for a moderntwist.

Chikan can also fit any budget. For instance if a Muzzafar Ali sari is out of your budget, then pick up some chikan fabric from a thaan 8212; available in Amarsons, sari stores and the wholesale garment market 8212; and make a top. You can team it up with pair of pyjama-style trousers or if you are willing to bare, then opt for a short skirt.

For the more traditional, who must-have a cotton chikan sari, jazz up the look with simple, bead work. Or get three different sari blouses to drastically alter the outfit. Chikan is ageless. Its romantic look looks perfect on every woman 8212; and nothing looks better than three generations in crisp chikan. Even the Mughals would approve.