2017 – The year of the Sari

As 2017 draws to a close, I reflect on all my experiences and learnings from this year. What stands out most for me, is my renewed enthusiasm for the humble sari! Social media communities are lit up with colours and drapes of women, flaunting with pride, their six (or nine) yards of fabric.  Some other women, far away from social media, are quietly continuing to do the same too.  I noticed, rather mindfully, the different weaves, the several textures , and most importantly, the memories that they helped create between families and across generations. For me, 2017,  was most certainly the year of the sari.

Sari and Drapes

Noticing the ageless Kanjeevarams, Chanderis, Banarasis, Tussars and the Jamdanis, to learning about over eighty different kinds of drapes prevalent in India, this has been an extremely ‘sari-educational’ year for me.  The social media is buzzing with pictures and stories from the ever-increasing internet brigade, but for me, The Sari Series: An Anthology of Drape, a project  undertaken by Border & Fall stood out.  A documentation of supposedly drapes we ought to have been familiar with, but clearly weren’t, and for me personally, it was most certainly an eye-opener!

Sari Sojourn

Pictures are worth a thousand words. So, without further ado, we would simply take you through some of our favourite pictures in this six yard wonder. We did speak about Kanjeevarams and Tussars in previous posts, so, today, just a walk through some pictures, that serve as reminders of the high level of craftsmanship in India. Enjoy:

Did you feel the same way this year? Experiment, explore, get adventurous whilst remembering tradition, keep moving forward with your love for the sari.

I sign off on behalf of the NJAS team, thanking you for your company in 2017 and asking you to join us as we begin new adventures in 2018. Wishing each one of you love and the very best in the coming new year!

Shilpa