Velvet Kurta Sets for Women: The Edit

These seven kurta sets are in silk velvet, for winter weddings and festive evenings when you want one decision to cover the whole outfit. All are designed by Ramola Bachchan, with the kurta and pants cut from the same velvet. Four carry hand embroidery and three a metallic lace trim, and the pants run from straight to tulip to gathered at the ankle.

Hand-embroidered velvet kurta sets

The purple set has a V-shaped yoke of geometric embroidery in silver, repeated at the cuffs. The pants gather into embroidered ankle bands, so the detail shows at both ends of the outfit. Purple and silver look cooler than the usual maroon and gold, which makes it a good choice for a reception.

This second purple set is more relaxed. It has a V-neck and a collar, with paisleys in golden zari embroidered at the shoulder and the hip rather than a band around the neck. Straight pants keep it quiet, so it suits a dinner as well as a function.

The black tulip set pairs a hand-embroidered yoke at the mandarin collar with embroidered cuffs, in gold thread. The tulip pants wrap at the front and fall in soft folds, which gives the set more shape than straight pants do. Gold heels are all it needs.

The plainest of the embroidered sets has its gold work only around the mandarin collar and down the placket. With straight pants it is the easiest to wear to more than one kind of evening, and the plain sleeves leave room for a statement cuff or a stack of bangles.

Velvet kurta sets with lace trim

The maroon set has a wide band of gota lace at the kurta hem, the cuffs and the pant hems, with a notched neckline edged in the same trim. Gota is a traditional metallic trim, and on maroon velvet it looks made for a wedding function. Keep the jewellery small, because the trim is already doing the work.

The black set uses the same gota lace, and against black the gold stands out more sharply. Wear it with flat gold sandals for a wedding function or with heels for a dinner.

The blue set swaps gota for mirror lace at the hem, cuffs and pant hems, so the trim catches the light as you move. Deep blue is a less expected choice than black or maroon for winter weddings, and it works as well with silver as with gold.

If you would rather buy the kurta alone and style it your own way, see our velvet kurtas. For something shorter over trousers, try the velvet tops, and for how to wear the fabric through the season, read our guide to velvet outfits for winter.