How many times have you looked at a gorgeous kurta or blouse and let it go because the fit was just not good for you? The fabric, the design look great but it just hangs at your shoulders or sits too tightly across your chest or tummy. We've done that countless times at boutiques and stores. So imagine our delight when we stumbled across Kapaas Kolkata, a local Kolkata label that makes unstitched pieces that you can make into kurtas, blouses and whatever else you may wish.
The best part about Kapaas Kolkata's pieces are that they are each one of a kind - all handmade, dyed and hand-embroidered in house. The word 'kapaas’ translates to ‘cotton seed.’ Based out of Kolkata, they follow a simple policy of hand-work and try to use minimal machine work. They are naturally drawn to products which have a story to tell. We believe, behind every piece, lies a story - that of a weaver, a designer, a city, a state and a country. And what beautiful stories these are! Ikat-like cotton weaves in Mediterranean greens and blues, Japanese-styled minimalist prints on tussar silks, intricate embroideries mixed with vintage zari borders and made into a blouse fabric - each piece is exquisite and different. The featherweight muslin collection with pintucks is just perfect for hot, summer days. The Jamdani pieces (some with fish motifs) will steal your heart. Prices vary according to the techniques used and detailing.
You can also get your wedding outfit done with them. Or if you are attending a wedding (or any special occasion), you should check out the unstitched blouses with thread work and hand-embroidered borders. An ajrakh-textured with dhakaai piece and their signature hand-embroidered piece with excellent patchwork detail left us impressed. What really caught our eye was a gaamcha-style piece in orange, red and yellow hues with floral embroideries. The dimensions of each piece is given on their website. For instance, a blouse piece length is around 20 inches and width around 23-24 inches. while the sleeve length varies on each piece from 15-17 inches. So you have room to play around and get something tailored that will fit you well.You can team up your kurta pieces with stoles and shawls in cottons, muls, chanderi and more. You will also find Bengal handloom sarees which are embroidered by hand and mixed-matched with the unstitched blouses. None of the pieces are a repeat, making them one of their kind and a unique possession to the buyer.