Meet the designers who are giving traditional Banarasi silks a contemporary makeover
The one essential piece of clothing in every Indian bride’s trousseau is a Banarasi saree. Known for the silk that is intricately woven in brocade or zari, the sheer richness of the saree makes it an outfit for ‘special occasions’. From Indian politicians to Bollywood actresses, this saree has had an ardent fan following over the years.
A Banarasi saree is intricately woven and requires expert skills, taking anything from a fortnight to six months to make one, depending on how elaborate its design and pattern is. Largely inspired by Persian designs (thanks to the Mughals), the typical Banarasi saree, more often than not, features floral and foliate motifs created using gold and silver threads.
While traditional Banarasi sarees still hold a special place in an Indian woman’s wardrobe, in order to appeal to a younger generation of consumers, many labels and designers are looking at Banarasi silks through the lens of a modern era.
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Labels and designers, like Sunira Designs, are looking at Banarasi silks through the lens of a modern era
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November Noon uses older weaving techniques to devise styles which appeal to a modern consumer of fashion
Breaking away from the traditional mould
Historically speaking, the opulence of Banarasi silk can be traced back to the 14th century during the Mughal era. The process of hand-weaving brocades with intricate designs using real gold and silver threads became a specialty of the city of Banaras. There are even mentions of Banarasi silk in the Mahabharata as well as in Buddhist scriptures. So how does a fabric that is older than we can count on our fingers still remain relevant?
When it comes to an amalgamation of the traditional and modern, Indian designers have found a balance by using traditional fabrics to create newer silhouettes. November Noon, a clothing label from Banaras, uses older weaving techniques to devise styles which appeal to a modern consumer of fashion. “Banarasi fabric is considered timeless, so playing with different silhouettes retains its value. As a brand, we aim to create designs that don’t take away from the craft. This is why our designs are engineered to suit women (and men) for various moods, destinations and seasons,” says Deepak Shah, founder and designer of November Noon. Shah’s latest collection ‘Doab’ is a prime example of the brand being mindful of the rich history of Banarasi silks while stylistically breaking away from the past. Instead of sarees and lehengas, the collection comprises midi dresses, parka jackets and tailored cropped pants, using silks that are re-engineered to make them lightweight, wearable and even heatwave-ready.
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Payal Singhal combines bandhani and Banarasi silks in the form of kaftans, jackets and trousers
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Hemang Agarwal tries to embody his Banarasi roots in a contemporary form of clothing
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"Real challenge lies in dealing with cheaper and substandard alternatives that flood the market,” says Hemang Agarwal
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Sunira Designs has made a conscious decision to depart from the opulence of Banarasi textiles
Shah’s not the only one looking at Banarasi silks in a different light. Designer Payal Khandwala is known for combining traditional fabrics like silk and brocade with modern silhouettes in the form of jumpsuits and palazzo pants. New Delhi-based label Sunira Designs has made a conscious decision to depart from the opulence of Banarasi textiles and reimagine it for a contemporary wardrobe. Take, for example, their ‘block suit,’ which features a classic blazer and trouser combination but made entirely in a light-weight flowy silk with zari motifs, all of which is handwoven by the Varanasi weavers.
Another designer reimagining Banarasi silk in a modern context is Payal Singhal whose latest Spring/Summer collection combines bandhani and Banarasi silks in the form of kaftans and jackets. “In today’s time and age, it’s imperative that traditional crafts like handwoven Banarasi silks are reinvented to appeal to a younger demographic. In this collection, we have taken the values and ideas from traditions passed down through generations and reimagined them in a way that is relevant,” says Singhal, who used bandhani, leheriya and Banarasi silks (made across two cities, Jaipur and Banaras) together for the first time. “With increasing diversification in the Banarasi fabric now, it is easier to adapt it in more versatile silhouettes,” she adds.
Despite the popularity of these designs on social media, there remains a very real challenge faced by the workers in the silk textile sector in the country, including migration and industrialisation.
A weave of challenges
The weaving industry in Banaras has been witnessing an economic slump for a few years now. It can be attributed to the fact that many weavers have migrated to bigger cities like Surat, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, where power-looms have taken over the handloom industry. With power looms, a piece that would take a weaver a fortnight to weave, could be spun in a day. Besides, a saree woven on a power-loom is considerably cheaper and difficult to distinguish from a hand-woven one. “The fact that Banarasi is the most advanced form of handloom weaving presently practised anywhere in the world, and that the weavers of Banaras are exceptionally skilled, should make the development of this product easy. But the real challenge lies in dealing with cheaper and substandard alternatives that flood the market,” says Hemang Agarwal, designer and creative director of The Surekha Group, a textile enterprise based in Varanasi, and co-founder of Holy Weaves, an online store for handcrafted textiles. Under his eponymous label, Agarwal has tried to embody his Banarasi roots in a contemporary form of clothing.
A documentary titled Bunkar: The Last of the Varanasi Weavers (2018) disclosed a startling fact that while the number of weavers earlier in Banaras ranged from six to eight lakhs, it has now dwindled to just about 50,000. “It has become increasingly difficult to develop fabrics in Banaras because the weavers’ community, especially the younger generation, is not motivated enough to continue and want to pursue different professions. This is a big loss for the long-held legacy India has had in textiles and handlooms,” says Shah.
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Brands like Ekaya are promoting the importance of Banarasi weaves through their collections
“IN TODAY’S TIME AND AGE, IT’S IMPERATIVE THAT TRADITIONAL CRAFTS LIKE HANDWOVEN BANARASI SILKS ARE REINVENTED TO APPEAL TO A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC."
Payal Singhal
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There is a glimmer of hope in the form of awareness and the revival of handwoven textiles from this holy city
While the dwindling numbers of weavers is one challenge that many brands are facing, for Singhal, it’s also more of a supply issue. “Even though we work with the weavers and fabric wholesalers who are organised and professional, there are issues of delay in supply or a lack of product, especially when they are not able to replicate the fabric as per our designs,” she explains.
Despite the challenges that loom over the traditional art of making Banarasi silks, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of awareness and the revival of handwoven textiles from this holy city. Designers and brands like Sabyasachi, Ekaya and Raw Mango are promoting the importance of Banarasi weaves through their collections, while Singhal and Shah have tried to keep it relevant with their modern silhouettes. Visibility of celebrities and influencers like Aditi Rao Hydari, Sara Ali Khan and Karisma Kapoor on social media platforms wearing jackets and pants made from Banarasi silks have stirred up curiosity for these handwoven treasures.
Moreover, the government of India has also pushed for a revival of the Banarasi weave through various initiatives such as Made in India and the Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme. “The Banarasi ecosystem works as a melting pot for all its exponents and each stakeholder—right from weavers and artisans, tradesmen, the design fraternity and, most importantly, the consumer—is responsible and deserves credit for this craft to not only be relevant but also thrive,” says Agarwal.
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