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Saris
for Fun |
By
Kusumlata |
In
a decided shift from its graceful, elegant image,
the sari is now fun, providing enough length in
its 6 yards for the wearer and designer to experiment
freely.
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The sari
is changing. Not content with the yardsful
of unending material it is assuming
new forms. Not limiting to zari or kaseeda
in its embellishments, it is experimenting
with texturisations. Not satisfied with
the state-wise draping styles, it is
reinventing new ones, crossing frontiers.
And not just happy being draped around
ammas it is eyeing nubile daughters.
While
the unstitched garment represents a
tradition — you can call it Sita
Maiya’s legacy and Draupadi’s
pride — it also is an evolving
outfit. Once a symbol of grace, it is
also becoming known for the freedom
of interpretation that it offers, both
to the wearer and the designer.
Designer
Wendell Rodricks commented, “Unlike
many heritage outfits, the sari has
not become a costume. It is still a
part of a tradition of liveable clothes.
In India the wearer knows that the sari
is the best for her.”
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Not surprisingly,
then most designers from JJ Valaya to
Tarun Tahiliani and Sabyasachi choose
to include the sari in their collections
every year.
It all started in the 80’s when
designer Zandra Rhodes did unspeakable
things with the sari, trimming it with
crinoline, adding Victorian hoops to it
and draping it this way or that.
Today, Satya Paul’s limited edition
trouser sari is a rage, Wendell Rodricks
has moved on from the lungi, bondage and
sarong saris to mermaid cut pleated sari-skirts,
Anjana Bhargav is using denim highlights
on georgettes.
While ammas may be happy with kanjivarams
and benarasis, the beti-brigade cab undoubtedly
experiment with the latest versions of
India’s oldest garment to create
their own sari chic.
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one to really revolutionise drapes and bring
them to ramps and baraats alike is Shaina
NC. NC has styled 17 ways of draping the
saree, one even involving two sarees worn
together. A ghaghara saree (pleats spaced
out towards the end of one hip and the pallu
is worn like a dupatta) is ideal for slim
waistlines. A double drape has two contrast
saris: one worn like a regular sari but
with the pallu on the left side in front
and the other pleated at the side with the
pallu in front.
Another double drape
style has it draped on one side conventionally
and the other pleated on the left with the
pallu pleated on the right shoulder. She
recommends the lungi saree for voluptuous
apple shaped figures and a Western saree
to be worn with pants (the sari worn like
a khada dupatta with the pallu around the
neck).
Amongst the traditional
Indian drapes it became fashionable to wear
the Bangla style sari soon after Devdas.
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Drape |
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But the one best suited for those with a
figure that deserves showing is the Maharashtrian
Nivi style with the free end of the front
pleats drawn between the legs and tucked
into the back. This style has the distinction
of being the oldest sari style depicted
on a Shurga terracotta piece.
The
palla could be left hanging on the side.
Sometimes, it is wrapped
around the neck like a dupatta. The pleats
also don’t have to be in the front.
They can go on the side while a pleated
palla drops in the front, giving the look
of a skirt. |
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While Rhodes
versions were fit for the ramp, Indian
designers took it up from there to create
wearable pre-stitched saris. James Fereira
added pleated insets to the split palla.
Hemant Trivedi put Aishwarya Rai in a
pre-stitched sari for the Miss World contest.
The idea
is simple: Take a sari, choose a skirt
style, stitch it folded the right way,
add a zipper, leave the top free to be
draped over the shoulders and you have
a garment which combines the ease of a
skirt with the fluid grace of the sari.
Now fashion
shows exhibit various versions of the
pre-stitched garment. In some the pleats
were stitched with crystals for effect,
in others the skirt was fitted over the
knees in the classic mermaid style with
the pallu stitched on.
In his earlier
collections designer Satya Paul has used
the palla as a drape or a cape or to double
up as a blouse. Anamika Khanna twisted
the palla into a rope like effect and
clasped it at the shoulder with a piece
of embroidery. Niki Mahajan gave her sari-skirt
a panelled look which is form-hugging.
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The sari
has moved far away from only Indian embroidery
and prints. At the grand finale of LIFW
’03 one of the highlights was the
sari Wendell Rodricks showed. In plain
classic white, the sari was embellished
with surface terxturisations.
While the
skirt was iron-pleated, the palla had
pin tucks in asymmetric lines. Tarun Tahiliani
chose to embellish his frothy chiffon
creations with coloured feathers on the
palla edging. JJ Valaya added faux fur
trimming to the sari and married it to
Mexican faux leather fringes.
Crushed,
ruched pallas, Swarovski set against jigsaw
prints in different tones were also seen.
Malini
Ramani showed shaded diva saris with prints
as varied as Moghul vases, maps of India
and the Indian paisley motif. Net ruffles
made an appearance on the edges giving
the sari a dress-like flounce.
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Embellishments
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“It was just a way of having fun,”
says designer Puneet Nanda of Satya Paul
when asked about branding on the sari hitherto
seen primarily on Tshirts. |
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Which one
of your dad’s films is your favorite?
It would be Mera Gaon Mera Desh. It had
emotions that were so real. Dad was amazing
in it. I would love to do his role in
a remake if I could! I think dad also
has an amazing sense of comedy as you
saw in Chupke Chupke, and pathos as you
saw in Satya kam. I said earlier he is
one actor who could do any kind of roles,
and he never got his due.
People couldn’t
see beyond his dazzling looks and physique.
But he really didn’t care, because
that lack of recognition by the film industry
was more than compensated by the adoration
and love of millions of fans worldwide.
You should
have seen the people when he came for
the stage shows in Vancouver — people
went crazy, removed their turbans and
hats to honor him and gave him a standing
ovation. I couldn’t care less if
I didn’t go down in the annals of
film history as the greatest actor alive.
If there is anything that I want, its
that kind of love from the masses.
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Choli |
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