Design for Ilkal Saris

Glimpse from a final year project done by a textile design student of NID, Priyanka Patel

"Design for Indian Saris' in a Indo-Italian Seminar at NID

The Financial Express - making a business sense of Indian Saris

To read this review, click on the link through title of this post.

Indian Saris in the Italian newspaper, La Stampa

Valeria Fraschetti, an Italian journalist working for the Italian newspaper La Stampa recently approached and interviewed for making an article on how Indian fashion is changing and less and less women are wearing saris nowadays. Her questions and the answers are shared here;

VF: Many young urban girls nowadays look at the sari like an impractical "grandmother's garment". Is this because of the growing "westernisation" of Indian fashion trends? Or it may also due to the availability of cheaper garments than saris?

VSK: Yes. It is true to a great extent that there has been westernisation of Indian fashion trends especially amongst the younger generations. Perception of saris in traditional sense has been more as an element connecting within a scheme of cultural ideology and philosophy that represented a traditional way of life. After the medieval period of India, the notion of 'fashion' as understood by younger generation of today, has neither been the approach nor the aspiration of most sections of Indian society. In the subsequent era, the age-old cultural dynamism weakened and social norms became increasingly rigid.

Since independence, western model in education, rapid urbanisation and enhanced awareness through multiple means of communication have been the factors that are fast modifying the individual notions of progressiveness and modernity. The perception of many young people has changed towards the way they dress up. As they see affluence of western ideas, many are inclined to consider western fashion synonymous to freedom and liberation. Ideas of fashion also come to discarding things that are old. Research on this subject reveals -- though many among urban youth consider the sari impractical as everyday wear-- they are giving up saris more due to a desperate search for new identity that identifies with being 'cosmopolitan' and 'global'. Many amongst youth no longer want to be associated with some specific old customs and values that have plagued the Indian society since long. Western fashion is in a way their sense of protest against the rigidity of unjust social norms that are often seen resisting the change.

Cost factor does not have much relevance in this case as a range of equally cheap saris have always been available in the market. Nowadays also the market is full of printed and power loom produced low-cost saris.

VF: Though many Indian women still love to wear saris at formal occasions such as wedding, would you say that sari is going to be a dying garment?

VSK: Despite odds, the use of saris continues amongst many Indian women. The market size is still very large. They are worn by the women who either value the aesthetic nuances of complex Indian culture (as in case of educated urban class) or by the ones who need to comply with established norms of their immediate social environment (as in case of most women from rural India).

Sari represents the elements of diverse cultural identities in collective sense. Though there are many influences that have been assimilated in the culture and social structure —as we witness in history of India — traditional cultural practices down the ages are considered to be a personal privilege by most Indians. It would be perhaps too paranoid a view to consider it as a dying garment. But we can easily say that it is under transition and transformation; much more than ever before. While the dimensions and format of sari have now become standard, modes of its surface ornamentation have become varied and experimental. Sari that was once only handcrafted, with the developments in technology and fashion, is now being experimented with many ways of production processes and drapes. While many other forms of traditional costumes have gone in oblivion, sari continues to withstand the pressures of modern lifestyles. Its survival is also due to the intrinsic style statement that connects a sari flawlessly to both traditional mindset as well as modern outlook. With the progress in economic terms and in education, there is renewed interest of Indian women seen in saris. I am keen to add that it’s only the demand for cotton saris, which were used for everyday wear, has sharply declined. But at the same time, the demand for many exquisite varieties has gone up as women having more disposable income prefer to buy expensive sari for occasional wear. Even the women who seldom wear saris keep buying them as a precious possession in their wardrobes. So in certainty it is not an end for saris. As Indian fashion and design industry matures, we may soon witness new trends with saris.

VF: The handloom weaver community famous for their saris, such is the one in Varanasi, are facing a hard time. Imports from China and shifting taste in fashion have their share of responsibility for this situation. In your opinion, what can be done to help those weavers meet the changing fashion taste in Indian society?

VSK: The key character of traditional creative industries in India such as in hand looms has been evolution through innovation. Most traditional sari weaving centres, such as the one in Varanasi, are facing difficulties due to frozen attitude towards the innovation. The inherent dynamism is lost to a great extent. It’s not so much for the flagging capabilities of weavers or competitive open markets but more due to recurrently constricted policy framework that lacks vision and nurturance from the support mechanism that is devoid of innovation-led dynamism. While traders and qualified ones gain more control in the matters of hand looms, the weavers await much needed recognition and returns for their creative labour. The systems need to recognise and facilitate the weavers through appropriate modes of intelligence and creative means of entrepreneurship. Most existing institutions set up for this purpose lack the necessary talent to do so -- or they still need to inculcate sensitivity to deal with creativity and culture driven industry. Awareness, promotion and distribution are some important issues besides many other challenges that need creative solutions.

VF: Is there still a language of saris? How much can a sari design or way it is folded tell about the cast or the economical status of a woman? Can you make a couple of example, pls?

VSK: As far as design styles of sari are concerned, despite some overlaps, fortunately the design language of most traditional styles still remains distinctive. But its draping styles have come to be more uniform. It is the 'ulta-pallav’ style that has become very popular across India. 'Sidha-pallav’ style is seen amongst elderly, economically weaker sections and in rural parts.

Distinctions in draping styles based on the caste have now nearly become extinct, essentially as most people do not wish to be associated with a particular caste. Some interesting styles can be seen on religious and ceremonial occasions of tradition loving communities. For example, kachcha style of drape amongst Maharashtrians, and the distinctive drape styles of Tamil Aiyer and Aiyanger community women. Many tribal communities across Bihar, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa are upholding their traditional and unique styles of drapes. What is changing rapidly in case of tribal cultures is that the cheap mill printed synthetic saris are replacing the traditional hand-woven saris due to economic compulsions.

Strategic Design for Traditional Sari Weaving Handloom Clusters in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu boasts of maximum number of operative handlooms. In eighties, there were about 427,000 handlooms in the state. Out of which, nearly 283,000 are still functional as part of 1,354 handloom Weavers Cooperative Societies. The average annual production through these handlooms is around Rs.600 Crores.

Since 2004, ten sari weaving clusters have been undertaken by NID for this strategic design intervention. The clusters are Kanchipuram, Arni, Salem, Thirubhuvanam, Trichy, Vilandai Devangar, Rasipuram, Mannarkudi, Paramakudi, and Coimbatore. These design projects aimed to mobilize the intrinsic strengths relating to weaving traditions and culture and connect them to the needs of contemporary markets by developing innovative designs through value addition strategies.

Due to sheer size and uniqueness of each cluster, the design approach was meticulously planned as a multidimensional strategy. The methodology included need assessment and analytical research of the market forces to understand the consumer preferences. The outcome of this research formed the basis for the final design brief.

A key approach of the strategy was to expand the range of motifs and forms with the cluster specific flavor. This new palette of design elements along with traditional skills was used with contemporary layouts and unique styles.

The project was completely done on the digital platform which helped to complete a huge number of complex designs in a very short span of time. It also provided for development of specifications and communication of creative design components to the grass root level. The project demonstrates the unique use of IT for the handloom industry.

The product range designed includes saris, stoles, yardages and made ups that derive their design identity from the age old sari traditions. The collections in silk and cotton are aimed at domestic as well as export markets. While the new products are receiving a good response, the intervention has also succeeded in upgrading the exposure and capability of the weavers involved. Images shared here are part of some new developments from Kanchipuram and Paramakudi. Further details and the new outcome from other clusters shall be shared through subsequent posts on this blog.

“Neechod” or “Saaransh”

“Neechod” or “Saaransh” have no equivalent term in the English language that can be used to describe Vijai’s accomplishment. An ‘Epic’al essay on the most eloquent of feminine garments the Sari, “Indian Saris – Traditions- Perspectives- Design” by Prof Vijai Singh Katiyar is an outcome of decades of research, design and development both in creative as also in technology of production. He traces the history of evolution of the garment across various cultures and subcultures of the most prolific of the world’s cultures – Culture of The Indian Subcontinent, and takes us through a journey of the evolution across geographies and dynasties. Equally educative and entertaining to both – an expert or a novice, the compilation is a comprehensive publication addressing the vastness of the opportunity and the harsh challenges for the textile designers and the handloom weavers at the same time. Predominantly a handloom phenomenon historically, a sari offers the largest canvass amongst all garments of the world for the artist in the designer and the weaver to express himself in the most elaborate manner. This throws open a huge opportunity for innovation and creativity for the producers on the one hand and the contemporary designs and sensuous drapes allow making a fashion statement for the user on the other. It is very difficult to bring out in a brief note the deep richness and the vast comprehensiveness with which Vijai has treated the multifaceted business of the Handloom saris of India. An effort par excellence and an outcome so exceptional, has raised the bar beyond capacity of a mere mortal. I am sure the book shall be appreciated by the professional and the uninitiated equally well. Truly a connoisseur’s coveted masterpiece.

Dr Hemant C Trivedi is professor at Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad. He specialises in the area of retail communication. With 24 years of industry experience and over 10years of teaching, he has done substantial work on the textile sectors of India. His research work includes an extensive market study of domestic retail for handloom saris.