Alémais Silk: Twill, Satin and Sandwashed Silk Explained, With Fourteen Pieces to Buy

Alémais makes its silk pieces in four cloths: silk twill, silk satin, sandwashed silk satin and crinkle silk satin, all printed with the brand’s hand-drawn artwork. The newest are the Rosette silk twill shirt and pant in a teal bow print and the Lacey silk satin shirtdress and pant in rose pink, from Spring/Summer 2027. Below is what each cloth is, how it wears, fourteen silk pieces to buy, and how we would look after them.

Silk is the cloth Alémais prints best on. Its artworks, drawn in house and with artists including Karlee Mackie and Laurence Leenaert, are digitally printed, and on silk the colour comes through saturated and sharp. The silk pieces are also the most versatile in the range: a silk shirt and trouser go from the beach to dinner without a change. All fourteen below were still in production at Alémais in October 2026.

The four silks, explained

• Silk twill. A fine diagonal weave with a light, matte sheen and a crisp hand. It holds a print very sharply, which is why it is the cloth of the classic silk scarf, and why Alémais uses it for its scarf dresses, tops/shirt/" class="cvx-al cvx-al--category">shirts and printed trousers. It creases less than satin.
• Silk satin. A smooth, glossy face and a fluid drape. More evening than twill, and softer against the skin.
• Sandwashed silk satin. Satin that has been washed with a fine abrasive after weaving. The surface turns matte and soft, almost suede-like, and it hides wear and small marks better than ordinary satin.
• Crinkle silk satin. Satin with a permanent crinkled texture. It cannot crease further, which makes it the silk to pack.

Fourteen Alémais silk pieces

1. Silk twill, the new shirt: Rosette Silk Shirt

A relaxed shirt in silk twill with balloon sleeves on deep cuffs and a concealed placket, in the Spring/Summer 2027 teal bow print. Cut oversized.

2. Silk twill, the new trouser: Rosette Silk Pant

A relaxed wide-leg pant in silk twill with in-seam pockets and an elasticated drawcord waist on rouleau ties. The trouser that matches the shirt above.

3. Silk satin, the new shirtdress: Lacey Silk Shirtdress

A midi shirtdress in silk satin with full gathered balloon sleeves, a gathered hem and a self-tie belt, in rose pink with an olive scarf border. Cut oversized.

4. Silk satin, the new trouser: Lacey Silk Pant

A relaxed wide-leg pant in silk satin with in-seam pockets and a drawcord waist, in the Lacey scarf print.

5. Sandwashed silk, the shirt: Nanci Silk Shirt

A relaxed shirt in sandwashed silk satin with a back yoke, a centre back split and self-ties, in a vintage-inspired floral. Sandwashing gives the silk a soft, matte, almost suede-like hand.

6. Sandwashed silk, the trouser: Nanci Silk Pant

A relaxed wide-leg pant in the same sandwashed silk, with an adjustable drawcord waist on branded toggles and in-seam pockets.

7. Silk twill, the culotte: Jungle Boogie Silk Culotte

A relaxed wide-leg cropped culotte in silk twill with a drawstring waist finished in branded charms and a jungle placement print. A shorter, summer version of the silk trouser.

8. Silk twill, the balloon pant: Joni Silk Pant

A relaxed balloon pant in silk twill with an elasticated waist, drawcord ties and cuffed ankles that tie. The most relaxed silk trouser in the range.

9. Sandwashed silk, the scarf dress: Banderra Silk Scarf Dress

A relaxed asymmetric off-shoulder scarf dress in sandwashed silk satin, with a self-tie shoulder, a lined bodice, pockets and a layered handkerchief hem.

10. Silk twill, the scarf dress: Ace Silk Scarf Dress

A midi scarf dress in silk twill with a tubular boat neckline, a cut-out at the front waist, self-ties at the shoulder, front and side, and a handkerchief hem, in a Western postcard print.

11. Sandwashed silk, the shirtdress: Ezra Silk Shirtdress

A midi shirtdress in sandwashed silk with gathered balloon sleeves on tall buttoned cuffs, a self-belt and a gathered hem, in a Western toile on burgundy.

12. Silk twill, the slip: Tangible Love Silk Midi Dress

A scarf slip midi in silk twill with adjustable straps, a square neckline with a panel that ties at the back and a dropped asymmetric waist, in an artwork by Karlee Mackie (MLAK).

13. Crinkle silk satin, the gown: Mokshini Silk Gown

A strapless column gown in crinkle silk satin with a gathered straight neckline and an internal zip-up bodice, in an abstract jungle print. Crinkle satin hides creases, which makes it the silk gown to travel with.

14. Sandwashed silk, the embellished gown: Lenny Embellished Silk Gown

A gown in sandwashed silk satin with mid-length sleeves, a draped asymmetric skirt with pleats and a large flower motif with beaded detailing, in a Karlee Mackie artwork.

How to look after Alémais silk

Alémais does not publish care instructions on its product pages, so what follows is our advice rather than the brand’s. Specialist dry cleaning is the safe choice for all printed silk, and the only choice for the beaded Lenny gown. If you prefer to wash a plain twill shirt at home, use cold water and a silk detergent, keep it moving for a few minutes, do not wring it, and roll it in a towel to dry flat. Press on the reverse with a cool iron, and steam it.

Store silk on a padded hanger away from direct light, which fades a digital print over time. Put perfume and deodorant on first and let them dry, because both mark silk. A steamer lifts creases from twill and satin without flattening the sheen. For travel, roll silk in tissue rather than folding it; if you need a silk gown that comes out of a suitcase ready to wear, that is the crinkle Mokshini.

Silk trousers, and how they fit

The silk trousers are the pieces people search for most after the dresses. Almost all are cut relaxed and wide, on elasticated drawcord waists with branded toggles, so they are forgiving on size. The new Rosette and Lacey silk pants are cut regular, and Alémais recommends your usual size on all of them. The culotte and the balloon pant are shorter and fuller. Each has a matching shirt, set out in Alémais co-ords, and the size conversion is in the Alémais size guide.

Related guides

The new silk pieces are part of Alémais Spring/Summer 2027. For the silk gowns next to the rest of the evening range, see the best Alémais gowns, and for the beaded silk Lenny gown and the other embellished pieces, Alémais beaded and sequin dresses. How Alémais compares with the other Sydney silk house is in Zimmermann vs Alémais. Every piece is authenticated before dispatch under Coveti’s authenticity policy, and the whole range is on the Alémais brand page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Alémais silk real silk?

Yes. Alémais lists the exact composition on every product page, and the pieces in this guide are 100 percent silk: silk twill, silk satin, sandwashed silk satin and crinkle silk satin. Some other Alémais pieces use silk in a blend with linen, cotton and viscose, and the product page states the percentage.

What is the difference between silk twill and silk satin?

Silk twill has a fine diagonal weave, a light matte sheen and a crisp hand. It holds a print sharply and is the cloth of the classic silk scarf. Silk satin has a smooth, glossy face and drapes more fluidly. Alémais uses twill for most of its printed shirts, trousers and scarf dresses, and satin for the softer pieces.

What is sandwashed silk?

Sandwashed silk is silk that has been washed with a fine abrasive after weaving, which softens the surface to a matte, slightly brushed finish. It looks less shiny than ordinary satin, feels softer, and shows wear less. Alémais uses sandwashed silk satin for the Nanci, Banderra, Ezra and Lenny pieces.

How do you wash an Alémais silk dress?

Alémais does not publish care instructions on its product pages, so this is our advice. Specialist dry cleaning is the safe choice for printed silk, especially silk twill, because water can soften the print and change the hand. If you hand wash, use cold water and a silk detergent, do not wring, roll the piece in a towel to dry, and press on the reverse with a cool iron.

Do Alémais silk trousers run true to size?

Yes. Alémais cuts its silk trousers relaxed and wide, mostly on elasticated drawcord waists, and recommends your usual size. The new Rosette and Lacey silk pants are cut regular. Our Alémais size guide has the AU, UK and US conversion and explains how to read the centimetre tables.

Can you wear an Alémais silk shirt and pant together?

Yes. Most Alémais silk shirts have a matching trouser in the same print: the Rosette shirt and pant in silk twill, the Nanci shirt and pant and the Banderra shirt and pant in sandwashed silk, and the Lacey blouse and pant in silk satin. Our Alémais co-ords guide has every set.