Object type: Long tunic/robe and associated shawl
Maker/label: Chria London
Date: 1960s (attributed); possibly mid-to-late 1960s
Place: London-associated label; place of manufacture unknown
Materials: Silk; woven gold-coloured decorative trim; silk lining; gold-coloured filament yarn
Techniques: Woven silk; machine construction; applied woven borders; lined; figured weaving; hand finishing
Collection: Textile Trust, Aotearoa
Object number: [to be added]
Date and attribution
The garment was catalogued by Holloway’s auctioneers in 2018 as “A 1960s Eastern style long tunic, with matching scarf.”
Its materials, silhouette and construction are compatible with a mid-to-late twentieth-century date, and Holloway’s attribution provides a useful working date. A date in the 1960s, possibly the mid-to-late 1960s, is therefore proposed, but remains provisional.
No contemporary documentation for Chria London has yet been located that independently dates the garment.
The description “Eastern style” is Holloway’s terminology and should not be regarded as an identification of the garment’s cultural origin.
Cultural and design context
The garment combines a long sleeveless silhouette with blue-green silk, contrasting pale pink silk lining and elaborate applied gold-coloured woven borders. The decorative borders employ floral and foliate motifs that have strong parallels in South Asian textile traditions, particularly those of the Indian subcontinent.
The associated shawl, with its turquoise ground, dense gold-coloured floral figuring, yellow-gold backing and tasselled ends, also has a strong South Asian character.
It is not currently possible, however, to determine where the ensemble was made, who designed it, for whom it was intended, or the cultural background of its original owner.
The word LONDON on the Chria label establishes an association between the label and London but does not demonstrate that the garment was manufactured there. Nor does it establish that Chria was a conventional British fashion house. Chria might have been a designer, dressmaker, boutique, importer, retailer or specialist business serving a particular community or clientele. At present there is insufficient evidence to choose between these possibilities.
The garment should therefore not automatically be interpreted as an example of British fashion adopting or appropriating South Asian design. It is equally possible that Chria was connected with London’s South Asian or another diasporic community, or that the garment was intended for a wearer with a personal or cultural connection to South Asian dress. No evidence has yet been found to establish this.
Its elaborate materials and construction suggest a garment intended for a formal or special occasion. Weddings, celebrations and other ceremonial or social events are possible contexts in which such an ensemble might have been worn, but its original occasion and function are unknown.
The garment itself is not a direct copy of an identifiable traditional form. Instead, it brings together a sleeveless, shaped and machine-constructed long garment with decorative woven borders and a large figured shawl. Determining whether this combination represents a particular cultural dress tradition, a cross-cultural design, or the work of an individual maker will require further research.
The pink lining
The pale rose-pink silk lining appears to have an important visual role.
The long centre-front opening and deep side slits allow the contrasting pink textile to become visible when the garment is worn and moves. The pink should therefore be understood as part of the ensemble’s visual design rather than simply as a concealed lining material.
This deliberate use of contrasting colour is one of the most distinctive features of the garment.
Relationship between robe and shawl
The robe and shawl were sold together by Holloway’s in 2018, establishing their association by that date.
There are, however, significant differences between them. The robe is a muted blue-green with relatively restrained antique-gold borders, whereas the shawl has a much brighter turquoise ground and yellow-gold figuring. Its construction and decorative weave also differ from those of the robe.
It is consequently not yet possible to establish whether the shawl was originally designed or sold with the Chria garment, was selected to coordinate with it by its original owner, or became associated with it at some later date.
For this reason, “associated shawl” is preferable to “matching shawl” in the Textile Trust catalogue.
Significance
This ensemble is a particularly intriguing example of formal or special-occasion dress of uncertain cultural and commercial context, probably dating from the 1960s.
Its significance lies partly in the garment itself: the combination of blue-green silk, pale pink lining, applied gold-coloured woven borders, long openings and associated figured shawl represents a carefully considered and technically accomplished ensemble.
It is also significant because of what remains unknown.
The Chria London label has not yet been identified despite extensive searching. Consequently, fundamental questions remain about whether Chria was a designer, manufacturer, dressmaker, boutique, retailer or importer; where the garment was made; and the community or clientele for whom it was produced.
The ensemble also illustrates the difficulty of assigning cultural identity to clothing solely from its appearance. Its textiles and decorative vocabulary have strong South Asian associations, while its label explicitly refers to London. Neither observation is sufficient to establish the identity of its maker or wearer.
Further investigation of the Chria name and crown device in British trademark records, London trade and telephone directories, and records relating to London’s textile, clothing and South Asian businesses may help establish its history.
Research note
Chria London remains unidentified.
The 1960s date is based primarily on Holloway’s 2018 auction attribution and is treated as provisional. The label establishes a London association but does not establish the place of manufacture.
The decorative borders and shawl display strong South Asian textile characteristics, but their precise geographical origins have not been established.
The original purpose of the garment is also unknown. Its materials and elaborate construction are consistent with formal or special-occasion wear, but there is presently no evidence identifying the occasion for which it was made or worn.
No assumption has been made about the ethnicity or cultural identity of its maker or original wearer.
Additional notes
Vintage clothing is often pulled from various cultures and styles as this outfit shows. Silk pyjamas could be added to complete this ensemble.
Pashmina Wedding Shawl
Wedding shawls are worn all over the world and symbolize different beliefs according to the religion or culture it represents. It is believed that this is a wedding shawl like those from India, following the Kashmiri tradition. Bridal shawls are not just worn as an accessory but to protect the bride and groom from the evil eye and bless their union with prosperity. They are woven with fine goat hair and silk and embroidered with gold thread in floral designs. They are a symbol of love, protection and heritage and often passed down from mother to daughter over many generations.
Kurti
Kurta have been worn by men for many centuries but over time these were adapted by women (Kurti), which were shorter and more comfortable. Kurti are made from cotton or silk in a tunic style, elegant but loose fitting. These are worn mostly in northern India as sarees are preferred in southern India. Most are embellished with embroidery or beads and often worn for special occasions. Most kurti have sleeves but, as with most fashion today, styles evolve to reflect current fashion trends.
References:
“Timeless Wedding Style Trends”: https://www.giftex.in/exhibition/vintage-wedding-shawls-style-grace-legacy
“The Role of Pashmina in Bridal Fashion”: https://www.pashmina.com/editorial/role-of-pashmina-in-bridal-fashion/
Kurti: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurti_top
“What is an Indian kurti?”: https://www.fabricoz.com/blogs/fabricoz/what-is-an-indian-kurti?srsltid=AfmBOoq6lEh6GlS0DlYjf-VbIXhxj9DR4y-RvvKpu6xhPJxtDWaibq25
Karen Ridley, May 2026