CHENNAI: With the consumer market going through constant churning, the sartorial preferences of women have been subjected to constant metamorphosis. But, perhaps they say old is gold for a reason. Even as wardrobes get a seasonal upgrade in line with evolving trends in the fashion industry, the six-yard sari continues to be celebrated for its versatility. The colourful silks, cosy cottons, rich Benarasis, opulent Kanjivarams, elegant kasavus... these are not just swaths of fabrics. For, every weave has a story behind it. This is the spirit and principle that set off the humble beginnings of Tulsi Silks, 25 years ago.
In 1993, brothers Suresh and Santosh Parekh shifted base from Ooty to establish their presence in Chennai with a sari shop. “Having worked in a textile firm in Ooty taught us the inside-out of this business. We made our first steps with a small store opposite Alwarpet Hanuman temple. The shop got its name after the tulsi garland that’s offered to god. It was only in 2013 that we moved into our new store,” recalls Santosh Parekh, co-founder, while seated in his office at the three-storeyed building in the same neighbourhood.
“We’re first-generation owners, so there’s nobody to look up to in terms of work ethics or principles. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti has been our role model and Radha Silk Emporium in Mylapore has been an inspiration for our business. All our learnings have been through trial and error. My brother’s son Sandeep Parekh recently joined us and we’re open to the changes he has planned for from the perspective of a Gen Z,” offers Santosh over a cup of their sought-after, in-house filter coffee that has been instrumental in their growth and building rapport with clients. “Soon after a family walks into the showroom, it’s been a ritual for the men to grab their coffee and head to the lounge while the women indulge in their shopping spree,” he laughs.
Draped in glory
Even after all these years, amid their resplendent collection featuring patola, ikat, raw silk, Benarasi, silk cotton, Kota cotton, georgette, linen, organza and bandhani, it’s the lavish Kanjivaram silk with rich border and plentiful motifs that stands out in all its glories. However, it was only in 1997 that the brothers decided to step into the bridal market. “While there were other sari varieties in the market, the demand for silk saris was growing slowly.
By 2000, we started designing and got into sari production. By 2001, we set up 400 looms in Kanchipuram and that has expanded to 758-800 looms to date, employing over 700 families. All the production is based out of that facility. In 2004, we also introduced catalogues and that’s when we got into wholesale, and supplying to other stores in the country. We are one of the few stores that are end-to-end integrated and offer yarn-to-end products to date. This model has helped us immensely over the years,” explains Santosh.
Six yards of sentiment
Despite the breaking away of the conventional joint family, Santosh observes that the celebration of shopping for saris has not frozen in time. “It’s heartwarming to see multiple generations of a family coming in a group to purchase. Having said that, the affordability has increased multifold. People don’t think twice to invest Rs 2 lakh in a sari because all they want is the best and that one-of-a-kind design. Weddings, too, have many functions, these days. In the days bygone, only the older women of the household had a say in the selection, but now the younger family members are equally participative and picky about what they want. For example, black or off-white shades were not considered auspicious once upon a time, but now people are more open to experimenting,” points out Santosh.
On the production front, too, designers and weavers are open to making bolder choices, he says. “Earlier, there was only a handful of colours such as parrot green, turmeric yellow, purple, maroon... but now, the elaborate palette allows customers with sufficient choices. Similarly, the options in motifs were also limited to an elephant, swan, peacock, mango or palanquin...but now anything and everything can be replicated with block, digital and screen printing. While there’s plenty to offer in terms of patterns, the quality of zari in saris of those days were several notches higher,” elaborates Santosh.
Yards of success
With the e-commerce boom, the traditional showroom presence impacted many a business, but that’s not something the Parekhs worry about. “We let the sari speak for itself. The only time we gave an advertisement was in 1998. If my client wears a sari and goes to a wedding where there are 100 other guests, her sari must grab the eyeballs. Secondly, this is our only standalone store where you will find either me or my brother always available to attend to customers. Thirdly, our staff is equally our priority and this is why we are closed on Sunday except for three Sundays prior to Deepavali,” he says.
In a first, in 2016, Tulsi Silks marked a milestone when it made a ramp debut at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter Festive. The collection titled Woven Tales of Kanchipuram enthralled sari lovers with the combination of striking patterns and bold colours incorporated in the collection of 36 saris and for the first time showcased their classic lehenga, choli, dupatta sets. “We need to be up-to-date with the latest trends. We have an in-house design team, which I head, and a technical team.
These are people who understand the structure of a sari, warp and weft and possibilities one can explore,” says Santosh, who has learnt weaving from weavers in Kanchipuram. Despite their brick-and-mortar success, the brothers understand that digital presence is unmissable. They opened their online store in 2002. With an active social media presence, the brand has 1,58,000 followers on Instagram and 10,000 active customers who purchase online regularly.
Looms of change
Having weathered many seasons, the pandemic presented a peculiar predicament for the brothers, too, like in the case of most other entrepreneurs. But, in crisis they found an opportunity, says Santosh. “April 2020 was a washout. We managed to send stipend to all our weavers working in the looms for them to run their livelihood for a couple of months. By May, we started tweaking our business models and in June, we started connecting with customers from the database over video calls. By July-August, we started with the production and festive seasons such as Deepavali and Pongal were good. We’re busy with the wedding season now,” explains Santosh.
The online presence of the brand shot up by 300 per cent during the lockdown. “I’ve had two to three video-calls in a day. One of our clients, a doctor from Hyderabad, connected with the ladies of her family in different parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. I moderated the call as they were breaking their heads to decide on the wedding sari. It was a new experience for all of us. Clients from all parts of the country and world, especially the elderly, have found this convenient. All they ask is for the colour and texture. We even launched a few new collections online,” says Santosh who’s confident that his team is equipped now more than ever to handle such unprecedented situations.
The fabric of the future
Of the many achievements that Santosh holds close to his heart, it is their effort to archive a collection of vintage saris and swatches of borders and motifs. “Every sari sold in the shop is documented. Right from the date of visualisation, the date it went for weaving to when the final product reached our hands, we have all details. This is a treasure trove of information for students who come for internships and textile enthusiasts. I have also preserved over 3,000 old saris collected from hawkers and stored in my shop. My only request for the next generation is to not dispose of their mother’s or grandmother’s sari. It’s a legacy that needs to be carried forward. Recently, I had a customer, who had purchased her wedding sari from me, come to buy her daughter’s wedding sari. That gave me immense happiness. It also means that I’m growing old but as long as I’m catering to multiple generations of clientele, it’s fine,” signs off Santosh. Here’s hoping that stories such as these weave the legacy ahead.
Tulsi Silks is located at 68, Luz Church Road, Kapali Thottam, Mylapore, Chennai: 600004