Fabindia Dupatta

Chanderi with printed, khari random dots in yellow/green/gold

A dupatta is a women’s long scarf or shawl draped over the shoulders, head, or around the waist. It is an essential finishing/styling component of the traditional South Asian ensemble, salwar kameez, a tunic top paired with loose or fitted trousers. Dupattas are characterized by regional weaving techniques and embellishments, bringing distinct textures and weights to a salwar kameez outfit.

This dupatta is made from Chanderi, a feather-light, translucent textile native to the ancient town of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh, India. Chanderi fabric is traditionally made from a combination of silk and cotton yarns, or pure silk, often woven with metallic threads known as khari or zari.The khari dot design is from a technique where paste-like natural or metallic pigments (often gold, silver, or white) are applied via wooden blocks to create a raised, shimmering pattern.

  • Fabindia was foundedin 1960 by John Bissell, an American who came to India on a Ford Foundation grant to help rural artisans preserve their textile traditions and export their work. Starting as an export house, it opened its first domestic retail store in New Delhi in 1976, eventually evolving into India's largest platform for handmade and sustainable traditional products.

    Today, Fabindia boasts of nearly 357 stores across India and 13 international outlets.

 

  • Title: Dupatta

  • Date: 2015

  • Geography: Uttar Pradesh, India

  • Medium: Cotton, silk

  • Dimensions: H. 98.4 in.  W. 36 in.

  • Provenance: Fabindia, purchased in Allahabad, India

  • Inventory Number:  IN.08