INDIGO PRINTED NEHRU VEST
Crafted from 100% handspun & handwoven Khadi cotton, with hand block print on pocket welt and 100% silk lining. Alongwith, wooden button closure.
Dry clean only
Size Medium - $329.00 AUD
©Antiek East
Natural Indigo, a timeless dye celebrated for its deep, evolving hues. With time, the fabric naturally develops subtle shifts in shade, enhancing its unique character.
Our vest is crafted from handwoven Khadi cotton and features a refined Nehru collar, accented with white block-printed detailing along the welt pocket edges. It is finished with natural wooden button closures and a luxurious 100% silk lining for an added touch of sophistication. Pair it with our Indigo Royalty Jacket for a seamlessly elegant look.
Photographed by Suleiman Thomas
Sourced by Suitcase Magazine
Indigo holds a profound place in India’s textile and cultural history. Known as nila in Sanskrit, India was one of the world’s earliest and most significant producers of natural indigo, exporting the dye as early as the Indus Valley Civilisation (c. 2500 BCE)
For centuries, Indian indigo coloured textiles traded across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, where it was prized for its deep, lasting blue.
During the colonial period, indigo cultivation took a darker turn. Under British rule, Indian farmers were forced to grow indigo instead of food crops, leading to exploitation and hardship, most notably the Indigo Revolt of 1859, a powerful early act of resistance against colonial oppression. Post-independence, natural indigo gradually declined with the rise of synthetic dyes, but today it is being consciously revived by artisans and designers committed to slow, sustainable practices.
Sourced from fashionrevolution.org
Khadi is a handspun and handwoven fabric that represents the resilience of an Indian textile legacy. Mahatma Gandhi famously championed Khadi as the "fabric of Indian independence," urging citizens to boycott factory-made British goods and adopt "homespun cloth" as a profound act of self-reliance and cultural defiance.
This fabric is celebrated for its unique texture, breathability, and "living" quality, with each piece bearing the individual touch of the artisan, roughly 70 percent of whom are women. Today, Khadi bridges India's proud industrial past with modern sustainable design, serving as a social equalizer that values character over appearance and ethical craftsmanship over mass production.
By promoting the use of the spinning wheel (charkha), Gandhi sought to revitalize rural employment and restore autonomy to village communities that had been decimated by the monopolistic control and "dictated prices" of the colonial era. Beyond its political weight, Khadi embodies a philosophy of slow, mindful making, where the entire process—from picking cotton by hand to spinning and weaving—serves as a return to essentials and a distinct "art de vivre".