Do modern renditions of the sari take away from its traditionality?

We get the country’s designers to share their predictions on where the iconic garment is headed in the near future

A quick Google search on the history of the sari will reveal that its earliest iterations surfaced over 5000 years ago. Since then, the garment has taken on diverse shapes and forms. In addition to the regional variations that reflect the culture and even the climate of different parts of India, we’ve witnessed the rise and rise of several modern renditions of the garment. The saris gaining popularity in recent times not only visibly borrow attributes from contemporary silhouettes—gowns, jumpsuits and trousers to name a few—but also incorporate pre-stitched elements that do away with the often effort-intensive process of draping.

While these new-age adaptations are lauded for making the garment increasingly appealing and hassle-free to international celebrities and cementing its status as a red-carpet hero—at the recent opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai, Euphoria star Zendaya was only one of the many actors spotted in a modern spin on the six-yard staple—do they also have a downside? Will the routine reimagination of the sari result in the garment losing its essence or, worse, its traditional forms becoming obsolete? We get designers who have worked extensively with the celebrated silhouette to weigh in on its future.

Modern makeovers 

Fashion is cyclical in nature—everything that once became outdated tends to become new again. So, it wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate to assume that our fascination with concept saris will soon fade, and that their traditional counterparts will inevitably resume their reign. But, the plans that designers in India have laid out for the garment suggest otherwise.

Most Indian labels, emerging or established, seek to continue serving up a contemporary take on the sari to retain its relevance not just with celebrities across the globe but also with younger audiences. “I’ve observed that the younger demographic tends to resonate more readily with the modernised versions of the sari which offer heightened convenience and versatility. Without a doubt, our future collections will involve additional iterations of the pre-draped sari that continue to incorporate elements such as ruffles, feathers, and unique draping techniques,” says New Delhi-based designer Ridhi Mehra.

Swapna Anumolu of Hyderabad-born brand Mishru shares similar predictions for the sari. “I think the sari is likely to take on more fusion forms. We plan on trying some fun drapes and drawing inspiration from ancient cultures, especially Roman and Greek cultures which have a lot of draped elements,” says Anumolu, whose brand was behind Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ headline-making lime green pre-draped sari with  a matching corset which the actor donned while in Delhi last month. 

If you look closely, you’ll learn that the corset is far from the only unconventional ally that the sari has had—the silhouette’s recent red-carpet appearances prove that the pieces it’s typically teamed with are also evolving. For instance, the Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla sari seen on supermodel Gigi Hadid was paired with a blouse which, although embellished with South Indian temple jewellery, had hard-to-miss modern features such as a jacket-style silhouette and exaggerated power shoulders. Designer Shweta Kapur, a favourite with millennials and Gen Z, is in favour of the sari finding unlikely partners. “The sari is constantly influenced by the changing wants of different generations. In addition to playing around with the petticoat and using it as a design detail, I love pairing traditional saris with jackets and shirts,” says Kapur who cites her cool, high-wattage reinterpretation of the sari as a top-selling style.  

The potential impact 

However, despite the growing appetite for experiments, the sari, according to Palak Shah of handloom luxury brand Ekaya, is unlikely to be rendered unrecognisable as long as certain sacred components aren’t tampered with. “Modernising the sari and making it appealing to a younger audience is a delicate balance between honouring the roots of the sari and embracing innovative expressions. Keeping certain core elements intact helps retain the sari’s authenticity. Preserving the distinctive draping techniques, the traditional fabrics which are deeply intertwined with the sari’s heritage, and the pallu—from its length to the way it’s draped—is key,” she explains.

Arpita Mehta, the celebrity-loved designer who is credited with introducing the popular ruffled pre-draped sari, echoes this sentiment. “There are certain attributes of a sari that must be maintained. While I love the garment’s sensuousness, I’m completely against having a negligible or slim pallu. That’s something that I’ve never done and will never do,” she says. 

Additionally, it’s important to note that the ubiquity of contemporary saris, even the kinds that keep the garment’s essence intact, won’t lead to the extinction of the classic iterations. Radhika Jain and Nitin Singla, co-founders of Five Point Five, a platform that stocks exquisite pieces sourced directly from weavers, confirm that consumers will always make space for traditional saris in their closets. “At the opening of the NMACC, we saw various adaptations of the sari but we also saw Nita Mukesh Ambani draped in a beautiful royal blue Benarasi silk sari. There will be many contemporary variations in the future, but we feel that the traditional form has its own charm, and will never die,” they conclude.

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