Saree, not sorry

Undeniably the most ethic of Indian outfits, a saree is the go-to outfit to flaunt a desi avatar. But young women often have a tough time handling these six yards of fabric. Enter ready-made sarees with a modern twist. From Sonam Kapoor’s pastel pink embellished pant saree at Cannes to Shilpa Shetty’s yellow dhoti saree at an event back home, the garment has indeed undergone a makeover.

In Jaipur too, designers are experimenting with the saree in order to make it easy to wear, somewhat edgy and chic by introducing different ways of draping it. i speaks to city designers to get a glimpse of the modern style fusion saree.

MODERN-FUSION FOR YOUNG GIRLS

At a recent show in New Delhi, well-known fashion designer from the city, Pallavi Jaipur  showcased an easy-drape saree as part of her summer collection. “We have recently done a frill armhole chiffon saree with floral prints, which is our USP. Since it’s designed as a ready-made saree and is more like a gown, you don’t have to worry about the palla and pleats. Finished with a belt, the saree is suitable for all body types; you just have to adjust the belt, whatever your size be,” she shared. “A modern-fusion saree gives the impression that it’s for young girls and that is what our clientele is for these. The style came into existence because there are young women, and brides-to-be, who want to wear a saree but without putting in lot of effort. So, now there are innovative sarees,” she added.

FOR DAMSELS IN SAREE-DISTRESS

Unlike their traditional counterparts, you don’t have to try hard to drape these sarees. “Fusion sarees are very simple, easy to drape and look very stylish. Young girls don’t know how to drape sarees, that’s where fusion sarees come into the picture. All over the world, people are loving these sarees and to my surprise, not just young girls but even older women are buying them. I have clients in the 25-50 years age group buying these sarees. We have dress sarees, dhoti sarees, pants and palazzo sarees,” shared Dia Ajmera, director, Pasha India.

TRADITIONAL YET MODERN

“Modern fusion drapes are very much in vogue since many girls don’t know how to drape a traditional saree, so they look for easy options. It saves the time they would have to spend trying to drape a 5 metre saree perfectly. We want to wear traditional and Indian styles with a touch of fusion and these sarees help us get the look. Modern drapes, gown drapes and pant drapes are trending these days,” said Shruti Misra, entrepreneur and stylist.