Black abaya, cut and stitched in Multan

How the noir black reads, in daylight and indoors

Noir Grace is the one piece in the collection that is not part of the Aura family, and it is built differently. Where the Auras are a single layer of crepe, this is a full inner abaya in premium Nida with a sheer chiffon over-layer floating on top, so the black has two depths to it rather than one. In daylight the Nida reads as a flat, matte, unbroken black and the chiffon catches light as a faint grey shimmer over it. Under the warm light of an evening function the beadwork does the work: hand-set beads run the front panel and flare across the cuffs, and because each one is set individually they catch light at slightly different angles as you move. That unevenness is the difference between hand work and machine work, and it is only visible in person. It takes silver, pearl or gold equally, since black argues with nothing. Wear it to a nikkah, a walima or an evening dawat. It is not an everyday piece, and we would not pretend it is.

Choosing a hijab tone to sit with it? Matching a hijab to your abaya colour works through every shade we make.

Keeping the noir black looking new

This is the one abaya in the collection that must not go in a machine. The beadwork and the chiffon over-layer both abrade against a drum even on a gentle cycle. Hand wash cold or dry clean, and store it on a wide padded hanger rather than folded.

Nida and crepe compared covers how each fabric washes and drapes, and the full washing guide goes fabric by fabric.

Black Abaya, Made in Pakistan: your questions answered