fashion, design and old world charm
It’s officially my first chance at procuring, wearing and learning about weaves that aren’t part of the mainstream saree narrative – and discovering Saaranga Chennai was instrumental in making this long overdue event of my six yard revival journey happen. South India has a plethora of handwoven treasures, each state having it’s array of weaves right from the affordable to the resplendent. The Chedi Butta – woven in Veeravanallur – is one such daintily beautiful weave, that has roots all … Read Full
We’ve all heard of recycling and upcycling, recreating new garments with the old. Following the same principle, there exists an eclectic, beautiful textured handloom textile that is literally a saree recreated by scraps of older sarees! The process is fascinating yet simple…
The warp is with new yarn and the weft is with strips of thin cloth obtained by tearing old sarees length wise. For non textile experts, this simply means that long, thin strips of cloth cut from old … Read Full
This look is inspired by a resplendent portrait of Maharani of Cooch Behar, Indira Devi – mother to Gayatri Devi. A passionate, fierce and unstoppable woman, with an immensely interesting life story narrated later in this post. AIn her portrait we find a glimmering tissue blouse, three tiered pearls and a sheer saree creating a classically royal look which was quite the favorite among the globe-trotting Maharanis of Cooch Behar. Bare face, dark lips and natural beauty are a quintessential … Read Full
Continuing the #desidrapes rainbow series, today is the day for a beautiful dhakai jamdani handloom saree as blue as the Mediterranean sea. Traditionally, muslin patterning in the extra weft technique is known as Jamdani and Sir George Watt gave the fine muslins of Bengal the name of “ring muslins,” after testing their fineness by passing them through a ring. However, this was no secret to … Read Full
for the #desidrapesrainbow, this divine gajji silk could be equal parts madder burgundy as it is indigo as it is black but I still dream of ajrak whenever I think neel, indigo, the night sky, the stars, the universe.
A divine ajrak on gajji silk from @fabindianews, this textile indigenous to Kutch is a match made in heaven with the tediously, intensively, magically surreal … Read Full
Basking in mango sunshine and deep blue handloom bliss today for a collaboration with the lovely @chenetha.andhraweaves – her instagram shop is a MUST SEE for beautiful handloom sarees mostly locally sourced southern textiles, and especially for the vividly hued kadapa cottons which are sold at surprisingly affordable rates (it will make you lose control, it definitely did that to me).
playing with this gorgeous and so aptly named “jharna” saree today, when I first touched it I wondered if … Read Full
A drape for the #cocktailrani series, and celebrates how the saree, as a drape and an ensemble, is having quite the fashionable moment on social media, with gorgeously inspiring ladies around the planet posting their stylish takes on how versatile and chic it can be.
Ever since I discovered Suta, I’m 100% convinced that nothing embodies and envelopes sensuality like handloom mulmul does (georgette? what georgette). The buttery, breathable softness this textile offers can NEVER compare to any … Read Full
My birthday look was inspired from Maharani Gayatri Devi, the unforgettable Rajmata of Jaipur and formerly Princess of Cooch Behar.
An eternal icon, a classical beauty, an avid equestrienne, a curator of luxury, a sparkling intellectual, a legendary social influencer, one of the finest among Indian royalty and so much more.
The moment I found this absolutely stunning Made in Heaven handloom mul from the beloved Suta, it was destined to be paired in all it’s ephemeral, sustainable glory with … Read Full
Aina Mahal, Bhuj. A breathtaking picture of ruins in restoration, these stunningly hand carved trefoil lattices are one face of the palace complex that survived the ravages of the earthquake and represent rich intricate geometric patterns adorning the viewing galleries – a signature of islamic architecture of the time. These patterns, when observed closely, will resonate with a viewer familiar with Ajrak, and this indeed is one of the inspirations behind the motifs and print repeats of the traditional form … Read Full