A red and yellow Sambalpuri handloom cotton dress material from Odisha, sold as an unstitched three-piece set. The deep red top is woven with lotus-like floral, geometric and traditional motifs, the yellow dupatta has delicate motifs and woven borders, and a bright yellow bottom completes the set. It suits office wear, daily wear and casual festive days.
Design details
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Top: Deep red handloom cotton with lotus-like floral, geometric and traditional woven motifs. Top fabric: 2.5 x 1.17 metres.
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Bottom: Bright yellow cotton. Bottom fabric: 2 x 1.12 metres.
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Dupatta: Yellow with red contrast, delicate motifs and traditional woven borders. Dupatta: 2.5 x 0.91 metres.
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Set: Unstitched, ready to be made into a salwar suit, kurta set or other ethnic outfit.
Occasions and styling
As a cotton set, it is comfortable for office days, daily wear and summer, and bright enough for a casual festive outing. Stitch the red top as an A-line kurta, wear the yellow bottom as a churidar or straight pants, and add gold-toned jhumkas.
About Sambalpuri handloom
Sambalpuri Bandha fabrics, GI-tagged, come from western Odisha around Sambalpur, Bargarh and Sonepur. Bandha is Odisha's tie-and-dye ikat: the yarns are resist-dyed in sections before weaving, so the pattern appears as the cloth is woven. Small irregularities in weave or colour are a natural sign of handloom work.
Care
Hand wash the fabric separately in cold water before stitching to pre-shrink it, and dry it in shade. Handloom dyes may bleed slightly, so keep washing it separately with a mild detergent. Iron on medium heat. Light starch keeps the cotton crisp.
