Say hello to the Neo sari

“The whole language of the sari is comfort, ease,” shares designer Anavila Misra. Time and again, the sari has been hailed as the virgin form of a couture dress — sometimes alluringly preppy, at times too polished and other times, impossibly decadent. Decades of Indo-Western fusion has resulted in sari being upgraded, evolved, and made of-the-moment. Whether it’s the pre-stitched format suited for a destination wedding, an athleisure avatar worn with a pair of jeggings and trainer, a beach-perfect offering suited for your summer getaway — the metamorphosis makes the all-pervasive six-yards an exciting study.

There are purists and there are radicals. The former have presented the sari in its original humble and democratic form, while the latter have redefined the classic silhouette and come up with its au courant styles. However, what’s always been exciting about the unstitched, untouched yardage is its global, size-neutral persona. While the soul of the sari is composed of three main identities — inner drapes, pleats and the pallu, the push on construction has often taken away from its wearable appeal.

Designers at the last Amazon

India Fashion Week cleverly morphed the Indian classic with their honed aesthetic. Amit Aggarwal had presented a sari inspired gown in his signature sculpted style while Nachiket Barve injected an unmistakable S&M vibe by transmogrifying his sheer studded skirt and draping it around a bodysuit like a post-coitus sheet. Falguni and Shane Peacock, on the other hand, sweetened their versions with glistening beads and dramatic feathers. It’s amazing how the sari offers myriad scope to mould and transform itself thus making it the purest form of a couture dress.

At the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week, designer Anavila Misra allied style with comfort by teaming saris with easy breezy separates. She also toyed with hand block prints and peppered her creations with hand embroidery and batik thus pushing surface texturing to a new level. An intriguing canvas of luscious silk, wool and Khadi in tones of black, grey, navy blue and wine was truly a sight to behold. Designer Sanjay Garg, at his opening show hosted at the iconic Opera House, teamed shine-on jackets with his artisanal saris. We speak to designers who have contributed a great deal in the sari’s evolution.

Blurs day to evening transition

Designer Amit Aggarwal, who’s made sari modern while keeping its soul intact, says, “The sari has evolved into a staple form of clothing in a youth’s wardrobe. The unstitched yardage offers the possibility of exploration and variation each time you wear it. For me, the sari blurs the boundary of day to evening, can be played down or up as per the need.” The designer has upcycled saris that are vintage and pre-owned to give them a contemporary new language.

Post independence, the sari slowly became a garment for formal and festive occasions. Designer Anavila’s work is focused on bringing sari back into our everyday lives with style, comfort and ease. “Our focus is on making the blouse comfortable through easy but versatile styling. Shirt blouses, knitted tops, high neck full sleeve shirts are all an effort in this direction. Our drapes are inspired from the working women in various clusters where they manoeuvre the sari to fit their task,” says she.

Seamless style

There are designers who prefer its stitched avatar. Designer Payal Khandwala is one of them. She says, “For me personally, the sari is so versatile as it is, I don’t like to reinterpret its drape. I prefer it unstitched and seamless, but I’m more interested in ‘making it your own’ infusing it with a personality that is unique rather than a trend that is fleeting. I’d like to see it evolve into a garment that is unpredictable and that transcends its geographical boundaries.”