Ikat sari

Neeru Kumar emerged in the 1990s as a pioneer in experimenting with woven and textured textiles to create a modern aesthetic for home furnishings and saris. Ikat weaving developed into one of her signature techniques. Today, her brand Tulsi is known for high-quality textiles and has a thriving export market.

This blouse and matching sari is an example Kumar’s fine ikat textiles and the kind of contemporary aesthetic that her brand is known for. The sari is inspired by African art and is a single ikat (weft) weave which has been handwoven by craftsmen from Orissa in Delhi. Two craftsmen specialising in ikat have been with Kumar for fifteen years and while they originate in Orissa, Kumar has centralised all her production to her Delhi workshops where she can interact with them regularly and maintain a high level of quality in the final product.