Style guide
How to Care for Embroidered and Sequinned Outfits
How to wash, dry, iron and store embroidered, sequinned and festive outfits so the work stays bright and your lehenga, saree or Anarkali lasts for years.
Updated 2 Nov 2026
A festive outfit with hand embroidery, sequins or zari is an investment you will want to wear again and again. With a little care, the colours stay bright, the work stays intact and the fabric keeps its shape. Here is how to look after it.
Always check the care label first
The care label on the garment is the final word. If it says dry clean only, dry clean it. The tips below are general good practice.
After you wear it
- Air it out for a few hours on a padded hanger before you put it away, so sweat and perfume can dry.
- Spot-clean small stains quickly with a little cold water on a soft white cloth. Dab; don't rub, especially near embroidery.
- Don't spray perfume directly on the fabric or the work: it can stain silk and tarnish zari.
Washing
- Heavily embellished pieces (sequin lehengas, zari or mirror work, tissue and organza): dry clean, and tell the cleaner about the work.
- Lightly embroidered cotton and Chanderi: a gentle hand wash in cold water with a mild detergent is usually fine. Wash each piece separately the first time in case the colour runs.
- Never wring or twist an embroidered garment. Press the water out gently in a towel.
- Turn it inside out before washing, to protect the work.
Drying
Dry flat or on a padded hanger, in the shade. Direct sun fades dyes and can yellow white threadwork.
Ironing
- Iron on the reverse side, on low to medium heat.
- Put a thin cotton cloth between the iron and the fabric.
- Never iron directly over sequins: they melt or curl. A steamer is gentler for lehengas and sarees.
Storing
- Fold, don't hang, heavy pieces. A heavily worked lehenga or gown stretches out of shape on a hanger.
- Wrap each piece in a soft cotton or muslin cloth. Plastic traps moisture.
- Put tissue paper between folds of embroidered areas so sequins don't snag, and fold along different lines each season to avoid permanent creases.
- Keep it dry. Silica gel sachets help in humid months; neem leaves or cedar keep moths away. Keep mothballs from touching the fabric.
- Air stored pieces a few times a year, especially after the monsoon.
Sequins or beads come loose?
A loose sequin or bead is easy to stitch back with a matching thread. Fix it before the next wear, before the stitches nearby loosen too.
Shop our lehenga sets, sarees and kurta sets. Each product page lists its fabric, so you know how to care for it.
