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Close detail of the floral chikankari motifs on the kurta yoke, hand-laid stitch work on cotton

Floral Chikankari Palazzo Set

Curated by Safe Society

Rs. 2499

Product Details

A two-piece floral Chikankari palazzo set, the kind of summer-into-festive outfit that gets pulled out for both a lunch invite and a quiet Diwali brunch. The white-thread chikan embroidery is hand-worked on the kurta and continues lightly onto the palazzo. Stitched by Safe Society karigars from the Lucknow Chikankari cluster (Lucknow Chikan Craft GI 2008, applied at craft-tradition level). See specifications for exact fabric and fit.

Art TypeChikankari

Dimension12x16"

Materials & Care

Slight color and embroidery variations are natural, reflecting its handmade character. Hand wash separately in cold water with mild detergent. Do not bleach. Dry in shade and iron on reverse at low-medium heat.

Product Disclosure

SKUSS-CHPZ-FL-P-01

Style CodeSS-CHPZ-FL-P

HSN Code61059000

RegionLucknow

StateUttar pradesh

Curated bySafe Society

Each piece is handcrafted, so slight variations in colour, texture and dimension are natural and celebrate its handmade origin.

A floral Chikankari palazzo set is a quietly versatile piece in a woman's wardrobe. The white-thread embroidery against a soft cotton ground reads cool in heat and dressy enough for an evening; the two-piece form gives you flexibility to mix it down or up.

Three ways to wear it: For an everyday office or work-from-home look, wear the set as-is with juttis or kolhapuris, a thin oxidised silver chain, and small chandbali earrings. For brunch or a lunch invite, layer a contrasting block-print or kantha-stitched dupatta over one shoulder, switch to wedge sandals, and add a stack of glass bangles in coordinated tones. For a festival or quiet evening function, drape a chiffon or organza dupatta with subtle gota border, swap to closed mojaris or kitten heels, and add jhumka earrings and a pendant.

Occasion fit: It pairs with Karwa Chauth and Eid lunches, intimate puja gatherings, a brunch with family elders, a daytime engagement, casual Diwali afternoon, an office working day during summer, and the season-change days when a saree feels too formal and jeans feel too casual.

Body-frame notes: The kurta is unstructured at the waist and reads well across most body shapes; a thin contrast belt over the kurta gives a defined waist line if you prefer it. Palazzos sit at the natural waist, drape long, and balance a top-heavy frame. Petite frames may want a kurta hem at or just below the knee for proportion.

Care while wearing: Avoid spraying perfume directly on the embroidery; spray on the inner lining or on skin first. Roll, do not fold, when packing, because chikankari motifs hold their raised texture better when not creased. Keep the embroidered surfaces away from velcro, zips, and rough wool wraps.

Chikankari sets out as a contradiction: the most delicate-looking embroidery in India is actually printed first, and the print is then washed off. The flowers and vines you see on the finished kurta exist as a faint blue outline before a single stitch is laid. That blue is the part most buyers never see, and it is what makes the embroidery accurate and the design repeatable across a two-piece set.

Step 1: De-starching the fabric: The mill-finished cotton or georgette is washed and de-starched so the surface is soft enough to take the print and the stitch evenly. A stiff fabric resists the needle and pulls the thread. A too-soft fabric distorts the motif.

Step 2: Cutting and pre-stitching the panels: The kurta is cut, the palazzo is cut, the yokes are aligned, and the panels are loosely tacked into shape but not finally stitched. This is so the embroiderer works on a finished-shape panel and the floral motifs land where the designer intended on yoke, sleeve, hem, and palazzo bottom.

Step 3: Block-printing the blue neel guide: Now the design is brought in. The master printer presses wooden blocks dipped in neel (washable blue ink) onto each panel: the floral repeats on the kurta yoke, the buti scatter on the palazzo, the border vine along the hem. The blue print is a fugitive ink; it shows the embroiderer exactly where each flower, leaf, vine, and dot must go. Two-piece sets are aligned at this stage so the kurta and palazzo read as a single design language.

Step 4: The embroidery: The blue-printed panels go to the karigars. Working with fine white cotton thread on small frames, they fill the printed flowers with the chikankari stitch repertoire: tepchi running stitch for the outlines, bakhiya shadow stitch worked from the reverse for the larger petals, phanda and murri knot stitches for the flower centres, jali pulled-thread work for the openwork sections. A floral set with continuous motifs takes weeks of hand work distributed across the cluster.

Step 5: Wash and final stitching: The fully embroidered panels are washed, and the blue neel outlines rinse away cleanly, leaving only the white thread on the white ground. The kurta and palazzo are then taken from tacked panels to a final-stitched garment with the side seams, neckline, and hems closed. What you receive looks as if the embroidery floated onto the cotton by itself; the blue guide that made it possible has disappeared into the wash water.

What is a Chikankari palazzo set?

A Chikankari palazzo set is a two-piece outfit made of a kurta and matching wide-leg palazzo trousers, both featuring traditional white-thread chikankari hand embroidery from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The set is typically stitched in cotton, georgette, or mulmul, with floral motifs hand-embroidered onto the kurta yoke, sleeves, and hem, and lighter scatter motifs across the palazzo. It is one of the most comfortable formal-casual options in Indian summer apparel.

Is the embroidery hand-done or machine-made?

The embroidery on this palazzo set is done by hand by chikankari karigars in Lucknow, not by computerised embroidery machines. You can tell hand-worked chikankari by the slightly raised, three-dimensional texture of the stitches, the small variations from one flower to the next, and the soft reverse side which on shadow-stitch (bakhiya) work shows the herringbone fill rather than a uniform jump-stitch back. Machine work, by contrast, sits flat and looks perfectly uniform.

What fabric is the palazzo set made of?

The palazzo set is made of cotton, or in some pieces georgette, mulmul, or modal cotton, with the choice influencing weight, drape, and seasonality; please see the product specifications on this listing for the exact fabric on this piece. Cotton is the most breathable choice for Indian summer; georgette gives a more festive drape; mulmul is the lightest and softest. The embroidery thread is fine white cotton or a cotton-rayon blend.

Is Chikankari GI-tagged?

Yes, Lucknow Chikan Craft has been a registered Geographical Indication since 2008, listed in the Government of India's GI registry at ipindia.gov.in/gi. The GI protects Chikankari as a regional craft tradition originating in and around Lucknow. The embroidery on this palazzo set is in the Lucknow chikankari tradition and is hand-worked by karigars in the Lucknow cluster; the GI applies to the craft tradition itself.

How do I tell authentic Lucknow Chikankari from machine copies?

To tell authentic Lucknow Chikankari from machine copies, look closely at three things: the reverse side of the fabric (hand work shows a herringbone shadow-stitch fill on the back of larger motifs, while machine work shows uniform parallel stitches), the small variations between repeats of the same flower, and the slightly raised texture you can feel under a fingertip. Authentic pieces also have a soft, breathable feel because the threads are pulled at hand tension. Price is another signal: hand chikankari sets typically start at several thousand rupees because of the weeks of labour involved.

How should I care for and wash my Chikankari palazzo set?

To care for and wash your Chikankari palazzo set, hand wash it gently in cold water with a mild liquid detergent or soap-nut solution, do not soak for longer than ten minutes, and avoid wringing the fabric, which crushes the raised embroidery. Air dry flat in shade rather than under direct sun, which can yellow the white thread over time. Iron on the reverse side with a thin cloth between the iron and the embroidery.

What colour is the embroidery, and will it stay white?

The embroidery is white cotton thread on the base fabric, in the classical Lucknow chikankari tradition, though some pieces may also feature small accents of coloured thread on the floral centres. White cotton thread can yellow slightly over many years of light exposure and frequent washing; gentle washing, shade drying, and storage away from direct light keep it bright for longest. Occasional cold-water washes refresh the colour.

How do I pair this palazzo set with a dupatta for festive wear?

To pair this palazzo set with a dupatta for festive wear, choose either a sheer organza or chiffon dupatta with a subtle gota or zari border for evening occasions, or a contrast block-print or kantha-stitched cotton dupatta for daytime brunches and casual festive looks. White-on-white chikankari pairs beautifully with soft pastels (powder pink, mint, butter yellow) as well as deeper jewel tones (midnight blue, emerald). Pin the dupatta in a single fold over the shoulder for a more streamlined silhouette.

Will this fit standard Indian apparel sizing?

This Chikankari palazzo set follows standard Indian apparel sizing for kurta and palazzo separately, with the palazzo featuring an elasticated waist and drawstring for adjustable fit; please refer to the size chart on this listing for exact bust, hip, and length measurements. Chikankari kurtas are typically cut a touch loose for breathability and embroidery drape, so consider going one size down if you prefer a closer fit. The palazzo length is sized to fall just above the ankle on a standard frame.

Who makes these chikankari palazzo sets?

These chikankari palazzo sets are made by women karigars in the Lucknow Chikankari cluster, working through Safe Society and similar livelihood-focused partners that My E-Haat sources from. Specific cluster and partner information is held with the partner; individual artisan names are not published in line with consent norms. Buying the set supports working women embroiderers directly.

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