If you have ever seen a curtain or a saree like this, with a sheer center, can you please let me know?
This was a curtain panel that was sold at Neiman Marcus and Horchow back in 2004. I had wanted it to hang over one of the glass doors between our family room and sunroom. So you can still see through the curtain into the sunroom and the backyard beyond it. Like a wisp of an exotic sari style curtain. But it was sold out. It was only about $100 at the time, not bad for NM.
Nine years later, I still think about this curtain once in awhile. Usually when I’m in India, but I don’t even know what to look for to find something similar to this. I never hung anything on the doors between our family room and sunroom. It’s like they’ve been waiting for something like this. Then this past weekend, I found the paper with this picture again. With all the customer service phone numbers to the catalogs, clearance centers, local stores. Geez, I was relentless … maybe still am?
If you find this, would you please let me know. I’m in love with this:)
Hi, I will definitely report back, even if I find something similar. I’m in love with it too!! I am going to check out your blog more — when we fly to India we fly Etihad and it stops in Abu Dhabi, and my husband has a cousin in Dubai. We need to visit these cities!
Hi Deb,
That is a drop-dead gorgeous curtain panel. I wish you luck in your hunt! Have you considered sewing a similar look yourself or having a similar look made by a local sewist? The hardest part would be finding a paisley print pattern on a sheer material that could be cut out and used for the border parts; it would have to be – finished – somehow around the delicate cut-out edges. As you can see, I’m no sewist, but you probably have some who are followers and/or fans of your blog who would know the correct term. It’s like an embroidery stitch all around the raw edges, completing covering the raw edge of the material so that it will not unravel. I think it is done with some kind of serger machine or a regular machine(?) with the right kind of serger attachment(?) I don’t know about silk, but I think you could probably find lots of different sheer cream or white colored tab top panels similar to the style of your coveted panel, and then have the border around the sides, top and bottom appliqued on? Well, something like that, anyway. An experienced sewist would know the best way to do it.
Hi Jan,
Oh in fact I used to be a very active seamstress. I did think of finding a sari similar to this which would be easy to sew — hem it if it’s too long and hang it up. But I hadn’t thought of finding a fabric, even if it has part of what I want, and combine it with a mesh fabric. That’s a genius idea and thank you for that! I agree a serger could finish the edges of a fabric that’s cut around designs. Sort of like an applique, but it’s a very very big applique that goes around a middle mesh piece. I can totally see what you’re saying. Hmmm … that opens the possibilities. Thank you Jan!
I was going to say the same thing about sewing it for yourself as I know you are arty-crafty (as we say in UK!)
If it’s too hard however, I know from living in Karachi, that you could get this sort of thing done beautifully in India.
I agree, it would be hard to find this well-done there. Unless there’s a sari with a design that’s very similar and is combined with mesh. I could absolutely sew something if I found the right fabric design. Each time I’ve gone to India since I found this picture (I even took it with me on one trip), I’ve looked in sari shops for a sari like this but I didn’t find anything. Don’t even know what sari style to ask to see! You know those shops, saris all folded up and I could have the guys build a mountain pile of opened saris and maybe still not find the right thing! It’s definitely an interesting shopping experience. I like that, “arty-crafty”! Thanks for following along Mandy!
I just love the look of this curtain… I have so many sari’s but they’re all currently in storage… I will definitely be looking at them to see if I can make this after the summer. Will let you know if it’s successful.
Hi, I hope you find a perfect sari in your collection for this. Definitely send a photo if you make a curtain, I’d love to see it. And your blog is really fascinating, I just subscribed! Deb
was? Did you call any of them just to check? Maybe they could find one in the back :) I’m sure you could have a whole wardrobe of options for less money, if you looked in India. Just have to let NM go.
Oh this was back in 2004. Long gone! I know, I’ve taken this pic to India several times. Oh boy, trying to shop in India. I show them this, and they show me something that’s like tribal Gujarati style. No one even attempts to find something close. I know where I’m taking this pic in Chennai next time I go though — more upscale sari shop, hopefully they will at least identify a style to look for. What I really like are the “arches” at the top — need that! The straight borders don’t give same effect.
It’s definitely unique, I haven’t seen anything similar here either, and there are shops everywhere. And same problem, I went in looking for red and purple, for mom, and even though the guys all speak English they still go and show me a dozen things completely not what I’m looking for. It’s like they’re trying to distract you from your mission… Hahaha
I should videotape sari shopping next time I’m in India. And when my sister in law is helping, it’s so funny — “She likes boring BLAH colors. Show her blah. DULL boring colors!” Um, well I like calling them sophisticated chic colors, but whatever works!
Even though that sari curtain was in NM, it was only $100! It was gorgeous and good price for NM. I made dozens of calls back in 2004. :( We were still getting the NM catalogs from our house’s previous owners – I much prefer shopping in Asia!
Those aren’t blah! They’re classic and elegant. Not everyone wants sherbert neon *everywhere*. Silly sister in law.
I’ve TRIED to wear more color but I feel a piece of candy! :)
Girl, This reminds me of a pashmina shawl. You will get a pashmina with designs like this, just look for the very good ones in nice higher end stores. This just may suit you!
Yes! I realized that recently looking a pashmina on Pinterest. They have the arch shapes. This reminds me to look there again. Thank you!
Check this out, though it looks like a dead end. It has a contact person/company in India: http://www.trademars.com/manufacturers/products1/26553/9364/25650/Goodwill_Associates_Delhi.html
Hi Julia, thank you so much! I find so often that companies in India use someone else’s photo or stock photos and not their own product photos. But I will contact this company. You never know. When we wanted to put a copper farmhouse sink in our India apartment, luckily we found in India the company that makes the sinks sold by an online U.S. retailer we were looking at! So we paid the wholesale price and had it shipped within India which was cheap, instead of shipping from the U.S. to India. It was just am accidental finding through Alibaba. And I am thinking about making things and selling them on Etsy – have some plans right now! So many people have pinned and mentioned this curtain, if I can source something like it from India, I will sell it so others can have it too! Deb
Yes, yes, that is true. I just hoped that they might be helpful, but I doubt it. Did you try to contact Horchow or Neiman’s buyers? They (used to be?) helpful, but again, probably a dead end. I think it’s a good idea to make some panels, since you know there are people out there that love this look! I think it was before its time, too. So, you had a good experience with Alibaba? (It looks like it could be a kinda sketchy, albeit large, company!) Good luck with the curtains, and let us know!
We found a copper farmhouse sink through Alibaba! The company is a large manufacturer selling to U.S. retailers and they’re in Delhi. So we were able to get the sink in India and shipped within India too. Bonus! I think with Alibaba, many companies posting on there are smaller and not communicating in the way we’re used to in the U.S. Obviously it’s so much easier to go to a merchandise mart and resellers because the vendors are vetted. But it’s possible to find quality companies on Alibaba too. Maybe takes some gut insight and work to find them.
Oopps, sorry. Click on “Contact info”. Make something like this and sell it!
Hi! I love your blog and the photos of your wonderful home. The curtain is lovely. I’m sorry I missed out on it in 2004. I think a reason you’re having difficulty finding something similar is that you may be looking for a curtain made from a sari. I believe the border area is an extra large prayer mat, not a sari. Saris are usually only trimmed with a decorative boarder on one end. Next time you are abroad, you may find something like the Neiman Marcus curtain if you ask merchants to show you silk and/or cotton prayer mats. Good luck!
Aha! Thank you *so much* Beth – I Googled prayer mats and I can see exactly what you mean! Even if the center is opaque, the border could be used on a sheer center fabric. I’ll look into this. Thank you!
Id love to have the saree curtain that got away too, my girlfreind has one,but will never part with it, it or they where a wedding present there used to be 2 and when she had a party one o e summer one went missing, some people huh? Anyway if you ever find let me know Id love to surprise her, not to mention maybe gettin 2 for myself.
Oh wow! I never did find this same curtain or anything similar yet. The people who took the curtain must be the same people who take towels and bathrobes from hotels, huh?!
I just stumbled on your post about this stunning curtain, as I’m on the hunt for a similar off-the-shelf option for a client. And look what I found… http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-curtains/37723715.jsp?color=005#/ It doesn’t have the finesse of the “real” one, but it’s very lovely in its own right! Anthropologie carries a few other styles with a similar flair. : ) -Dawn, Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC
Hi Dawn, you are right, that Anthropologie curtain is lovely and has a similar flair! Thank you so much for sharing it here! Deb
I just found two beautiful sari curtain panels eye much like yours! They are gorgeous and made from a company called “forth home” out of Vancouver. I couldn’t find them anywhere online, hope you have good luck finding them!
Thank you Laura! I will look in to that company!
Well you guys contacted inregards to the sare curtains, a
Are they available or what?
did you try to find out who the manufacturer was for the saree curtain, there had to be a tag somewhere on the curtain that could have information on where it was made, or contact some of the people who managed to get lucky to have at least one, I also am seeking these, if you can find the manufacturer they should still have the contacts as to where an how and who made these, I hope this helped I have nothing to go on, please let me know if you ever find them thanks
Susan
Hi Susan, I never found this curtain. It was in a catalog so I never saw a manufacturer name. If I saw a tag on a curtain, I would have had the curtain in my hands and would have bought it! I did find a company in India with this picture, but never heard from them after numerous attempts to contact them. This curtain was in a catalog about 13-14 years ago so it was long ago now.
I am so in love with this curtain, i already try to found it in Dubai, but can’t found. Would you please inform me, where to buy. Thank you.
Hi Salwa,
I have not found it. That is what the blog post talks about. Wish I could find it. Sorry about that! Deb
I have searched high and low for the same one myself and keep coming across the Adalet Curtain from anthropologie in my searches… not as beautiful, in my opinion, but worth taking a look at in case you like it?
good luck!
Thank you Sharonna! I am familiar with that curtain and you are right, it has a similar look. I wish it was available in red!