Festivals and parties are the best places for showcasing the latest in fashion or for that matter one’s unique style quotient. A few days back I was at a get together at a friend’s place where I saw this lady wearing a stunning saree. She stood out in the crowd with her impeccable style and the beautiful saree she was wearing was the cynosure of all eyes. What caught my attention was the intricate handwork of the saree done in cutwork style. It was a beautiful pink saree with cutwork embroidery running the entire length of the pallu in a contrast lime green colour.
The intricacy and the delicateness of the cutwork embroidery has always fascinated me and so it got me thinking about its origins. Cutwork hand embroidery goes with many names and styles across the world, there’s Broderie Anglaise from England, Spanish cutwork, Hedebo from Denmark and our very own jaali which is prevalent in India.
What is cutwork embroidery?
It is done by removing portions of fabric from a design and the remaining gap or hole is reinforced using embroidery. Sometimes the embroidery is done using another contrast fabric such as Kalamkari applique on cutwork (insert pic). As much as cutwork is considered contemporary as opposed to traditional embroidery methods it is quite versatile in nature and can be adapted to look as modern or traditional as possible.
Cutwork embroidery is seen on a various fabrics and in a variety of fashion wear- from salwars-set, western wear to traditional wear. However, cutwork embroidery looks best on sarees where the handwork is on full display. It is done on many fabrics such as cotton, silk to chiffons and georgettes.
Now-a-days cutwork embroidery is done even on Kanchipuram silk sarees, Tussars etc., to give it a totally different look. Portions of the Kanchipuram silk saree such as the pallus or the saree border are highlighted with cutwork embroidery making it a total stand-out. Imagine a delicate light weight Tussar silk saree with gorgeous cutwork embroidery running the entire length of the border! The sheer workmanship of the piece is astounding not to mention the statement it will make while wearing it.
Cutwork sarees are a wonderful mix of pure traditional yet modern.
Be it a casual evening affair or a wedding reception your cutwork saree is sure to make heads turn. Not sure where to buy or check out cutwork sarees? There are excellent variety available online from reputed makers. Also check out The S Studio’s cutwork collection at www.thesstudioonline.com.
