When you step into the world of Uday Gowri from the House of Gowri Signatures at Jubilee Hills, you’re entering a space where designs tell stories. With his latest collection, Banjara – The Signature Line, designer Kouthavarapu Uday Sai talks to CE about the collection, the challenges faced, personal favourites, and more.
The inspiration behind this collection stems from the idea of blending two different crafts and techniques to create something fresh and new. Uday says, “While we have experimented with fusions before, this collection takes that idea to another level, presenting a distinct version of craftsmanship and design.”
The collection includes six sarees, each woven on the strong foundations of Patan Patola, Muslin Jamdani, and Kanchi Brocade. Onto these age-old traditions, the designer has incorporated eight different embroidery techniques, including zardozi bindings, French knot work, stone fixings, and fabric manipulations. “Every saree is a canvas where diverse crafts converge, allowing us to celebrate heritage while exploring fresh interpretations of couture,” he explains.
Of course, it didn’t come easy. Some of the challenges in bringing the collection to life included, “Custom-weaving sarees that could give us the flexibility to experiment with different techniques. Traditional weaving is a meticulous and time-intensive process, and it comes with its own set of limitations. We had to carefully plan the base weave in such a way that it would not only uphold the integrity of the craft but also allow room for embroidery, detailing, and modern design interventions. This required immense patience and coordination across multiple stages of weaving and handwork. The process was long and layered, but ultimately it is what gave the collection its unique strength — sarees that are rooted in tradition yet versatile enough to be twisted, styled, and reimagined in many ways,” the designer shares.
Balancing the traditional weave with a modern touch is important, and Uday and his team do this perfectly. He narrates, “Traditional weaving is a very delicate process, rooted in discipline and precision, and it naturally carries certain limitations. Each weave has its own rhythm and structure, allowing only specific ways to blend it with other techniques. For this collection, we addressed that by custom-weaving our own sarees in a way that not only preserves the integrity of the traditional craft but also creates room for modern elements to flow in seamlessly. This approach gives us the freedom to introduce contemporary design interventions — whether through embroidery, detailing, or styling — without disturbing the essence of the weave itself.”
Out of the six, the piece closest to his heart is the silver Kanchi saree. “It is truly one of a kind, woven in the grandeur of traditional Kanchipuram silk yet elevated with layers of intricate embroidery. What excites me most is how seamlessly these embroidery techniques blend into the weave without overpowering it,” Uday notes.
The colours range from quiet monotones to vibrant multi-tones, while the motifs shift from traditional to abstract. For Uday, this is very much in tune with how women see sarees today. “Today’s women are connecting with traditional weaving in a unique way, and it’s no longer just about wearing a saree, but about how they style it from head to toe. Whether it’s a heritage weave or a contemporary drape, the saree becomes a canvas for personal expression. The way it’s draped, the accessories chosen, and the overall presentation are what truly define the look. Through this collection, we wanted to give women sarees that are versatile and that can be styled in countless ways,” he observes.
Looking ahead, Uday’s plan to take forward the idea of blending heritage with contemporary fashion is clear: “Our vision is to continue experimenting with the idea of blending heritage with contemporary fashion by exploring new patterns and silhouettes. With Banjara, we’ve already seen how powerful it can be to merge traditional weaves with modern techniques, and this has opened up many possibilities. We plan to push these boundaries further by taking the handloom into newer forms, creating more sarees and ensembles that are not just rooted in heritage but also resonate with modern aesthetics and lifestyle. The goal is to keep heritage alive while reimagining it in fresh, wearable, and exciting ways.”