The Indian Trunk does one thing that very few labels do properly: it puts genuinely Indian prints on genuinely western silhouettes. Ikkat, patola, tie-dye and painterly florals — cut as shift dresses, dolman tops and easy summer separates. Thirteen pieces are in stock at Stylera, from Rs.1,920 to Rs.4,000.
The result is a wardrobe that works at an office, a brunch and a daytime family function without changing register. Here is the range, and a short guide to the prints themselves.
The prints, briefly
Knowing what you are looking at makes this range much easier to shop.
- Ikkat — a resist-dyeing technique where the yarn is dyed before weaving, which is why the pattern edges look slightly feathered rather than sharp. That softness is the signature, not a flaw.
- Patola — a double-ikat tradition from Gujarat, geometric and precise, historically among the most labour-intensive textiles in India.
- Tie-dye — resist-dyed after weaving, so the pattern is looser and more organic.
- Painterly florals — the most western-leaning prints in the range, and the easiest entry point.
The dresses
| Dress | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Floral | Floral | Rs.4,000 |
| Vibrant Fuschia | Solid-led brights | Rs.3,840 |
| Sky Myriad | Multi-print | Rs.3,600 |
| Jolene Ikkat | Ikkat | Rs.3,600 |
| Rebecca Waves | Wave print | Rs.3,120 |
The pick of them: the Jolene Ikkat Dress (Rs.3,600), because ikkat on a western cut is exactly what this brand is for. The Charlotte Floral Dress (Rs.4,000) is the most event-ready, and the Vibrant Fuschia Dress (Rs.3,840) is the one to wear when you want colour doing the work instead of pattern.
Also in stock: the Sky Myriad Dress (Rs.3,600) and the Rebecca Waves Dress (Rs.3,120), which is the most affordable dress in the range. For the broader category, see our women's summer dresses guide.
The tops: where the range gets interesting
Eight tops between Rs.1,920 and Rs.2,720 — and this is the half of the brand that earns its keep, because a printed top solves more outfits than a printed dress does.
- Jenna Doloman Top (Rs.2,720) — the dolman sleeve is cut in one with the body, so there is no shoulder seam. Forgiving and dressier than it looks.
- Tulip Floral Top (Rs.2,560).
- Candy Color Top (Rs.2,400) — the brightest piece here.
- Summer Romance Top (Rs.2,240).
- Twilight Dream Top (Rs.2,160) — the darkest colourway, and the one that works best into evening.
- Patola Matrix Top (Rs.2,080) — geometric patola, the most traditionally Indian print in the range.
- Ivory Tye N Dye Top (Rs.2,000) — ivory keeps the tie-dye subtle, which makes this the most office-friendly printed top here.
- Ocean Ripple Top (Rs.1,920) — the entry point to the brand.
More options across labels in our women's tops buying guide.
How to style a strong print
The print is the outfit. Everything else recedes.
- Bottoms stay solid. A patola or ikkat top wants plain white, black, ivory or denim underneath — never a second pattern.
- Pull one colour out. Take a minor colour from the print and repeat it in your footwear or bag. It reads deliberate rather than matched.
- Keep jewellery quiet, or go fully traditional. Oxidised silver works with patola and ikkat; delicate gold works with the florals. Mixing both fights the print.
- For work: the Ivory Tye N Dye or Patola Matrix top with tailored trousers and a plain blazer. The print becomes a detail rather than a statement.
Flat, embellished footwear suits these prints particularly well — our women's footwear edit has the options.
Caring for dyed and printed fabric
- First wash alone, cold, always. Traditionally dyed fabric can release colour on the first two or three washes — that is normal for the technique, not a defect.
- No bleach, and no detergent with optical brighteners on the ivory pieces.
- Dry in shade. Direct Indian sun is the fastest way to flatten a saturated print.
- Iron inside out on medium. Heat applied directly to a print dulls it over time.
The Indian Trunk FAQ
Is this ethnic wear or western wear?
Western silhouettes, Indian prints. That is the whole proposition — you can wear a patola print to an office without it reading as ethnic wear, and to a family function without it reading as too casual.
What should I buy first?
A top rather than a dress. The Ocean Ripple Top at Rs.1,920 or the Patola Matrix Top at Rs.2,080 will get worn far more often than a Rs.4,000 dress, and they tell you whether the brand's cuts suit you.
Will the colours bleed?
Wash the first few cycles separately in cold water and you will be fine. This is standard for dyed textiles and is the trade-off for the depth of colour you get.
Are the prints authentic ikkat and patola?
The pieces are named and described for the print traditions they draw on — ikkat, patola and tie-dye. If provenance matters to you for a specific piece, check that product's own description before buying.
Where to start
Browse the full The Indian Trunk collection, or compare across our dresses and tops edits. If you like Indian textiles in contemporary cuts, the cotton kurtas guide covers the weaves side of the same story.