Kimkhwab Fabrics

Kimkhwab Fabrics — Varanasi's Most Opulent Gold & Silver Brocade by the Metre

Kimkhwab — from the Persian "kam-khwab" meaning "little dream" — is the most opulent and most precious brocade fabric woven in Varanasi, where the density of gold and silver zari work is so extraordinary that the silk base fabric is almost entirely hidden beneath a surface of shimmering metallic thread. A true Kimkhwab fabric is woven with such a high proportion of real gold and silver zari that it is heavier than most other silk fabrics — the metallic threads creating a stiff, sculptural quality that makes Kimkhwab the preferred fabric for the most precious bridal garments, royal costumes, and ceremonial textiles. Historically woven for the Mughal courts and the great temples of India, Kimkhwab fabric today is one of the rarest and most precious handloom textiles available — each metre representing days of painstaking work by the master weavers of Varanasi who have inherited this extraordinary tradition. At Luxurion World, our Kimkhwab fabrics are sourced directly from the master weavers of Varanasi, paying above-fair compensation to preserve one of India's most precious and most endangered weaving traditions.