Anyone who has spent an evening trying to lift their arms in a fitted embroidered blouse knows the value of comfort in structured clothing. For Kabra, making his jackets easy to move in has become an important part of the design process. “There’s a very traditional way of cutting a jacket that most of us learn in college,” he shares. “While it gives you a brilliant fit, there’s very little mobility. It looks good, but that’s about it. For me, that goes against everything I believe clothing should be.”
Kabra has figured out that making the sleeve head more rounded and shallow allows one to lift their arms and move around. The underarm, too, feels less bulky, despite the embellishments. “We’ve paid particular attention to the areas where the arm meets the body, inserting panels both under the sleeve and into the body of the jacket, so that the garment doesn’t feel uncomfortable against the skin.”
With wedding season looming, I’m constantly on the lookout for pieces I can wear to a mehendi at one wedding, a traditional function at the next and an after-party at another—an embroidered jacket is just that. It can add structure to an otherwise relaxed outfit; bring a little drama to a simple dress; look right at home over a sari; and just as easily be styled with a midi skirt or a pair of micro shorts, culottes and jeans.
An embroidered jacket might be far from the basics I usually reach for, but as a statement piece, it fits into my everyday wardrobe rather naturally. And on the occasions that call for the glamour we Indians are known for, it doesn’t ask me to dress like someone I’m not. Kabra says he wants people to feel like the best version of themselves in his clothes, with a sense of pride in what they’re wearing. If an embroidered jacket can do all that, I’m sold.
