The embroidery decorating this coat echoes Gujarati embroideries of the 17th and 18th centuries. Extremely fine embroideries worked in chainstitched silk on cotton in designs of naturalistic flowers are found on surviving Mughal hangings and European export fabrics of that period, examples of which include V&A IS.168-1950 and IS.29-1889. At that time, chainstitched embroideries were worked using straight needles, with each loop in the chainstitch formed by hand. Into the 19th century, aari-work, or chainstitching worked with the aid of a hooked needle, became more prevalent. This coat was embroidered using an aari needle to create a modern twist on the kinds of floral motifs popular in earlier centuries. The design of a flowering rose bush growing from a rocky mound combines the botanical naturalism of Mughal design with the fantastical 'flowering tree' motif popularly used to decorate palampores for the European export market.