Best rated handmade Indian sarees online supplier: Sari might be a fashionable garment now, but it started from being a humble drape used by women thousands of years ago. The origin of the drape or a garment similar to the sari can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which came into being during 2800–1800 BC in north west India. The journey of sari began with cotton, which was first cultivated in the Indian subcontinent around the 5th millennium BC. The cultivation was followed by weaving of cotton which became big during the era, as weavers started using prevalent dyes like indigo, lac, red madder and turmeric to produce the drape used by women to hide their modesty. Read additional info at shop Indian sarees online.

Textiles, just like with everything else, will continue to evolve as time passes. However, a ‘revival’ needs to go beyond just a trend, and instead grow organically and sustain a momentum, says Garg, whose work on the Mashru fabric (a handwoven mix of cotton and silk) over the past decade has led to a revival of the textile. A handmade sari is a testament to the skill and creative genius of the mostly rural artisanal families that make them. Techniques and expertise have been passed down in these families from generation to generation over centuries. The more intricate silk saris take many weeks to make. A weaver of Kanjeevaram saris once who told me how he passes his blessings to the wearer of the saris he creates. He wishes the bride who wears it the strength of the elephants, the grace of a gazelle and a life of abundance represented by the trees, as he weaves each of these into his creations, says Kadam.

According to Chishti, there are more than one hundred ways to drape a sari depending on region, fabric, length and width of the garment, and what the wearer might be doing that day. She created a series of videos showcasing dozens of ways to tie one on. “The younger generation wants to be able to experiment with it, to wear it in various ways,” she says. Among the techniques for wearing a sari: the ubiquitous Nivi drape (pleated, wrapped around the waist, with the pallu (the embellished end of the garment) flung over the left shoulder); and the rural Dharampur drape, which cleverly transforms a long rectangle of material into knee-length bloomers. Most sari presentations require a choli (cropped top) and slender half petticoat, the latter often helps to anchor all that textile wrapping and fabric manipulation. Some sari folds need to be held with stitches or pins, others are more free form, like fabric origami for the body.

Fashion is also essentially a self-sustaining art that keeps evolving. In 2008, the French fashion label Hermès debuted their “Hermès saree” line, just in time for the Diwali festival. In 2008, Alexander McQueen’s ready-to-wear collection was shown in Paris. It was inspired by the designer’s journey to India and was a fusion of Indian and British fashion. Through the production of fusion designs, global designers are connecting to Indian culture and its exquisite customs. Foreign designers must comprehend Indian fashion aspects, personality, culture, history, and customs to “Indianize” items, which is critical for their growth and acceptance in the local market. The beauty of a saree is that it belongs to whoever wears it, irrespective of the difference in the draping styles. The saree, in its nine yards, carries the evolution that it has gone through, it embraces it in every pleat. The first mention of saree can be found in the epic of Mahabharata and therefore with Draupadi’s unending saree, the tale of saree will go on and on.

Most of our products are handcrafted and the weavers have been chosen with care in order to ensure the best quality of handwork is brought to our customers. In fact , some of our empaneled weavers have won awards at the highest national level and have been associated with this work for generations. Our products and weaves are authentic, artisanal and sourced sustainably , curated by Karigars from different parts of India like West Bengal, Varanasi, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc. See more info on silkpetalss.com.

After moving to Hong Kong, I started wearing the saris that my mother had given me as a part of my wedding trousseau. Hand-woven saris from different parts of India – the brocaded Banarasi from Varanasi, the pure silk Kanjeevarams from Tamil Nadu, the Paithani from Maharashtra and so many more. The sari gives me a sense of belonging, says Bangalore-based perfumer Ahalya Matthan, who in 2016 founded The Registry of Sarees, a research and study centre for handspun and handwoven saris in India.