Look into a hazy, steam-filled crystal ball for an idea of what to wear this summer and out of the fog you’ll see colourful patterns of checks. Madras checks to be exact—a lightweight cotton fabric with an open weave that’s made just for the tropics.
For those looking to decipher the different forms of checks, here’s the cheat sheet: Madras is yarn-dyed and layered in colour; tartan is dense and heavy; gingham is crisp and two-tone; plaid is the umbrella term. Capiche?
Like the others, Madras checks, too, have a rich history. In India, the fabric was largely used as lungi material by fishing communities in the South before it was traded all over the world by the British East India Company. By the 1950s, brands like Brooks Brothers had turned into an Ivy League staple, using it for preppy checked shirts and blazers. Now however, we’re really seeing the possibility of what can be done with the humble pattern. Designers like Supriya Lele have worked the weave across collections from 2018 to 2021, making it sexier, more It-girl-coded, through silhouettes like body-skimming skirts and wispy minidresses. More recently, Amit Aggarwal and stylist Ami Patel took the textile in an eveningwear direction, reworking Chinnamalai checks into a jewel-toned, resin-moulded corset. Paired with a fluid skirt cinched with his signature polymer detailing, it showed how far the fabric could go.
When it comes to ready-to-wear, there are plenty of playful takes on the Madras check that demonstrate it’s much more than just a shirting material. Shirts are the easiest way in—The Jodi Life adds floral appliqué and frayed hems to theirs, Hindostan Archive keeps it classic with a camp collar and ari embroidery, and Kartik Research offers indigo handloom with weightless zari checks. If you're looking to play, try different silhouettes: bias-cut dresses, boxy tops, and wrap skirts. Ituvana’s sarong-style shirt dress ties neatly at the waist. Imli Dana’s collage skirt, made from repurposed scraps and vintage buttons, offers a more textured take. Consider this your cue to swap denim for skirts and lungis—Huemn’s pre-stitched cotton lungi skirt is especially convincing. And if ease is the priority, co-ords remain the smartest shortcut.
So, if you’re dressing for a long summer, shop the print that checks all the boxes.
