What is to be said about the sari that hasn’t already been said before.? Six yards of free-flowing fabric that is draped by women across the country in a variety of ways. Draping techniques and styling combinations have evolved over the years, but what has remained unchanged is its multiplicity and its personality of elegance and grace.
As a fitting tribute to this timeless garment, the grand finale of the Lotus Makeup India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2019 is witnessing a coalescence of heritage and modernity through a showcase of various sari styles through the aesthetic vision of participating designers.
To propel this love for the sari further, FDCI (Fashion Design Council of India) also initiated a social media campaign called #SixYardsOf… before the fashion week where women were encouraged to express their feelings for the sari through images posted on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.We asked seven designers to spell their emotions for the wonder yards and what the hashtag means to them.
Payal Khandwala
The sari is #SixYardsOf Perfection, Grace, Elegance and Versatility. It is a six-metre-long canvas, which can be sculpted to fit all sizes and shapes. At our design studio, we work with colour, drape and subtle shifts in weaves to give it a look that is modern, minimal and timeless. This is why I designed the reversible sari. So that you can style it more than one way, just like other separates in your wardrobe.
Tarun Tahiliani
The sari is #SixYardsOf Romance and Sensuality. Of fluidity and provenance of age-old technique and modernity. Pre-constructed saris respond to the needs of today’s women, who have much lesser time to dress, but yet want style. The concept sari is for the modern Indian woman who is aware of traditions, yet has a strong style sense. Concept and traditional saris paired with well-tailored jackets are my favourite.
Amit Aggarwal
A sari to me is #SixYardsOf Timelessness. With Indian couture shifting from traditional to more contemporary aesthetics and being more open to experimental designs, our new-age saris have become popular for their innovative textiles, unconventional patterns, and inventive embellishments and textures.
Urvashi Kaur
To me a sari is #SixYardsOf Simplicity encapsulating the textile legacy of a civilisation. The sari never went away, so I don’t think it needs to or is making any kind of comeback. It’s just that gradually we’ve become more aware and open to its incredible versatility and have started innovating and celebrating it. I love pairing the sari with unpredictable shirts, or T-shirts to make it look fresh and distinctive.
Tanira Sethi
For me, the sari is #SixYardsOf Art. It mirrors a blank canvas that you can paint in any hue you desire. It’s almost a trompe l’oeil where exploration is the master key. My focus has remained on handpainted cashmere and French lace cashmere, and its malleability and scope to experiment is what draws me towards it.
Anavila Mishra
The sari to me is #SixYardsOf Identity. It connects my past to my future. Our work with linen gave a new vocabulary to the sari. The new buzz and the creative collaboration between designers and weavers have made sari desirable for the younger generation, making it relevant and chic at the same time.
Neeru Kumar
According to me, the sari is #SixYardsOf Respect and Tradition. It has a great amount of history behind it, yet it has unlimited potential to be explored further. A resurgent love for the sari is the best thing to have happened as it is keeping our tradition alive in a contemporary way. Along with the sari, the blouse is more important as it involves a further play of shape and colours to enhance the ensemble.