BENGALURU : Deepika Padukone’s green silk saree and Madhuri Dixit’s pink saree with a horse motif have been making waves, especially on social media. Behind these designs is celebrity designer Sailesh Singhania, who is holding an exhibition of his collection, which is happening at Raintree on Sankey Road, on Saturday.
Singhania’s collection comprises a combination of age-old techniques and fabrics like jamdani and khadi, which are embellished with intricate motifs. Mostly known for his quirky motifs, this collection will have motifs inspired by modern Japanese art, thereby bringing a plethora of cultures and traditions together and culminating them into one final creation.
Speaking about his collection, Singhania says, "I have tried to show the natural forces upon which life sustains. For example, the royal Banarasi silk is woven with motifs inspired by the sun and the moon." He adds: “Kanjeevaram silk sarees that have remained a constant in every closet since the Chola and Pallava dynasty are also a part of the collection. We have tried to celebrate the identity of the fabric with a modern outlook, tapping into its potential without tampering with its ethnicity.”
The collection also features traditional Gadwal, Patan Patola and real Zari Paithani sarees. Hailing from a family that has been into textile – his great-grandfather was the textile minister in the Nizam’s cabinet – Singhania was fascinated by the charm of the six-yard quite early in life. At the age 14, he started attending to customers at his family’s wholesale textile shop – Singhania’s, at Old city in Hyderabad.
"My favourite pastime as a child was to spend time with my grandfather at the shop," says Singhania who took his passion forward by getting a degree in textile engineering from Salem Institute, after which he opened the Singhania’s in Banjara Hills, an uptown locality in Hyderabad.
There has been no looking back for him after that, with his collection having been draped by some of the best known film stars, including Aditi Rao Hydari, Radhika Apte, Shruti Hassan, Nayanthara and more. Currently prepping for his upcoming show in the USA, Singhania says his effort is to create a sustainable world, where even artisans can thrive and celebrated.
You too can add exquisite sarees to your wardrobe by attending the exhibition at Raintree, Sankey Road, February 1, 10.30 am-7 pm.