I have grown up in Bengal and I am a crazy saree lover. It is not just because I have grown in Bengal and my mother is a Bengali, but I have somehow fallen in love with the six yards, over a period of time. Initially, I used to question how someone can drape six yards of cloth around them and look so graceful and not feel hot. But then I figured out the different types and kinds of sarees and the availability of these in the market.
I am sure a lot of you who are interested in sarees have done a lot of experiments with it. For me, whatever looked good and whatever I felt good in, is what I’ve bought for myself. I have been curating sarees from different brands over a period of time now. You must have seen me in different types of sarees on different occasions. Some of them have been picked from my mom’s wardrobe without knowledge! In case she reads this, she is going to be very happy that I am mentioning her and her saree collection in my blog. I believe that every mother has the best saree collection one could ever find. While I was making the puja lookbook, I approached many brands and a lot of them approached me also, regarding the collaborations. It was happening at a very slow pace initially. Then, I started talking about sarees, exploring them and checking the quality. I have come with a blog that talks about brands that I personally felt were amazing in what they do.
So here it goes! It is in random order and it is completely based on the opinion that I have, after wearing the sarees from these particular brands. I am giving a very honest opinion based on my experience. Hope it helps you guys.
Parama G – Parama G, led by Parama Ganguly has launched their Durga Pujo-themed collection and it is a true ode to the festival and the city as a whole. Get Pujo ready with her Mahalaya-themed blouses, imprinted with quintessential puja elements like shiuli, lotuses and dhunuchi. Deriving inspiration from the Kumartuli potters, Parama has incorporated an artist’s brush and the divine face of the goddess on her blouses and even imprinted the entire map of Kumartuli on her sarees. She has also curated a collection of cotton sarees and blouses embroidered with the hand-drawn poster of Satyajit Ray’s film Devi.Parama G’s collection is inspired by the enchanting imperfections of Kolkata where the loom makes love to stories. They are like a scrapbook we had in school, where we pasted pictures and wrote quotes and stories on the sides. Every product of theirs has a story. Their blouses and sarees tell the story of the designer’s affection for the ignored and imperfect, and her longing for dying art and nostalgia. Ms. Ganguly says that nothing has influenced her life more than colours; rainbows, glass bangles, her box of crayons, the jelly lozenges in a glass jar, butterflies, storybook. Painting gave her oxygen and she has incorporated this passion in her clothing line. https://www.instagram.com/parama_g/?hl=en
The Koo Koo Shop – They make wearable art using embroidery and everyday things that infuses inspiration in them to come up with accessories and sarees. They make handcrafted statement pieces – each one a story and memory translated onto the fabric with their trademark dose of love and quirk! https://www.instagram.com/thekookooshop/?hl=en
Chowdhrain – Chowdhrain is an armoire of handcrafted chanderi sarees. They specialise in Chanderi because the owner has known and understood the Chanderi fabric when they grew up in Chanderi which is a small town in Madhya Pradesh. They believe in transparency and honesty, and I want the brand to be built on trust. Hence they have a collection of authentic pure Chanderis which they trust are original. The sarees are mostly woven in a variety of fabrics like Katan silk (pure silk); silk by cotton; tissue by silk and Pattu silk but new weaves are being experimented right now with new fabrics such as linen, tussar, Liva etc. They customise the sarees as per the desire of the customer, if feasible. https://www.instagram.com/chowdhrain/?hl=en
Ghuri by Debjani – Ghuri by Debjani is a concept of narrating childhood stories through textiles and garments. All stories either revolve around the founder’s city – Kolkata or its films, novels, poetry and talk about its people. It’s a kind of wearable artwork. It was named as ghuri because they wanted to fly kites and one the owner’s favourite books being Kite Runner, they refer to all their patrons as Kite Runners. They work with handloom sectors and weavers clusters, and their forte is block prints and experiments with organic colours. They do have hand-embroidered works that are also concept based. There is also a unit where they have trained girls to do specific hand-embroidered works. https://www.instagram.com/ghuridesign/?hl=en
Threads of jari – This brand initially started off by curating 100 sarees over a period either directly from the weavers in the villages or other sources which reflected the essence of Indian Art. Over time, they fostered the relationship between the weavers and the brand. So every saree is unique in its own way and is shipped directly from the house of the weavers. They are raw and sustainable. This brand has a lot of variety but their speciality is Kantha sarees on silk and Linen works with exquisite designs. Apart from that they also have a range of sarees that is designed by Manjari the self-run curator of this brand which is hand embroidery on silk, linen and cotton. Recently they are experimenting on a line of sarees which showcases different work and designs of modern Indian artists. The price range is very affordable and each of them is justified as you should rest assured of receiving the best quality. https://www.instagram.com/threadsofjari/?hl=en
Second-Skin, Hyderabad – They are a premium clothing store that celebrates women’s fashion. Second Skin conjoins India’s rich heritage and its famed weaves. They go beyond the idea of merely crafting a clothing line but strives to use art as a tool or a language to communicate with the contemporary global stance about the magnificent history of India. They strongly believe in the concept of art that can move souls and streamlines all the activities at Second Skin accordingly. Besides, this venture is also targeted at creating employment opportunities to people who are not just artists and weavers but also to individuals from non-artistic backgrounds by tutoring them in the necessary skill sets. https://www.instagram.com/secondskinhyd/?hl=en
Lok-Katha – They are a brand that aims to provide every person with their story expressed in the form of art and culture of India. They deliver handloom products created by their own skilled weavers and craftsmen from Bagh, Maheshwar and Chanderi – small towns in Madhya Pradesh. Their weavers have multiple looms in which different varieties of sarees are woven simultaneously. Each loom and weaver has their own story. Their mission is to maximise the usage of handloom and hand created sustainable clothing across the globe. Till far, in a span of about a year, they have covered around 10 different countries across the world and 15 states within India. Lok-katha’s mission is to keep our culture inherited among people across the world whilst connecting them with handloom richness of India. https://www.instagram.com/lokkatha/?hl=en
Diya Mehta official – They offer affordable and flamboyant fashionable clothing in Mulmul and Chanderi. They employ the Tie and dye technique in most items. The line is known for being very light on the skin and because of their uncommon colour palate. They usually keep the cuts straight with minimal embellishments. Each of the garments can be styled and accessorized in different ways, adding an element of one’s own personality. The designs are produced in limited editions making the collection individualistic and one of a kind. They believe that when one is comfortable, they will be more confident and fashion will be the statement one makes. At first glance, the details they try and incorporate may go unnoticed, but take a closer look, and you will notice that hint of colour, that small stitch on the neck, or perhaps another layer of fabric peeping through. The flow and fall of fabrics, how prints and colours enhance the style and how the garments come alive once put on a body is what amazes the designer. It’s when someone slips on that creation that you know if it works or doesn’t. The idea is to breathe in the garments and wear them with pride. https://www.instagram.com/diyamehta_official/?hl=en
Diva_bangaluru – Diva has an amazing range of beautiful traditional sarees from different parts of India. Every product is made out of traditional techniques and skills, and are mostly handwoven. Quality is the most important factor for them as a brand. They have an array of products suitable for women of all age groups. Their Benaras saree collection is exclusive and is hand-picked by the brand owner Suman herself. They are extraordinary and one of a kind. I wore a pink and black Benarasi and I completely fell in love with it. They also have a store in Bangalore which you can visit by appointment only. As a brand, they started this beautiful journey in search of handwoven sarees which led them to dig deep into the country’s history and creativity aspects. Sarees are a part of an Indian woman’s daily life since centuries and the garment has also been recognized globally. With their understated elegance, they’re light, airy and with a glossy finish. You’ll also find chanderi silk sarees (translated to ‘Shashimukhi’ in Sanskrit) with simple floral motifs or with opulent embroidery. The best part is that Sumana will patiently explain the origin of each saree that she has carefully handpicked for her store, so you will be taking home a little piece of history with you. Apart from sarees, you’ll find clutches made of paithani silk and readymade blouses. Diva surely stands as their name claims. Their collection will make you look like a Diva. https://www.instagram.com/diva_bengaluru/?hl=en
For sarees – Indian festivals are about celebrating with friends and family and For Sarees live up to this festive mood. You will an array of sarees under one single platform. They are associated with more than 50 weaver groups and self-help groups across the country. For Sarees bring a plethora of different crafted items on to the table for their customers. Their speciality is to create minimalistic yet graceful sarees that carry the story of Indian craft on its canvas! Their most popular styles are Kantha work on Khesh cotton sarees and plain handwoven cotton sarees. I have tried both and loved the texture of feeling equal. Khesh Kantha brings in the comfort of cotton and the grace of Kantha! They are easy to maintain and pocket-friendly too. These are handwoven and then given to women in villages for embroidery. Each saree takes around 4-5 days to be fully embroidered. While the plain solid colour sarees are for the younger generation who want to wear sarees to work but don’t want to look overdressed. They made it easier for us as these can be paired with shirts, crop tops or any blouse you own. You can also find a variety of silks in solid colours and block prints for occasions. They as a brand also work with self-help groups to create quirky and trendy blouse fabrics. https://www.instagram.com/forsarees/?hl=en
These are completely based on my opinion. This is also a nonsponsored post. These are my favourite, Hope you will also like them let me know what you think and in case you have any suggestion do let me know regarding the same.
Much love readers.
