THE STORY AND THE SARI

Designer Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango discusses sustainability, tradition, and what simplicity means to him, in a special conversation with Bazaar India Editor NANDINI BIALLA.

- NANDINI BIALLA

Nandini Bhalla: Sanjay, what are your earliest memories of fashion, saris, colours, and textiles?

Sanjay Garg: “As a child, I didn’t understand these things separately or view them as being different...it’s just life. So you don’t view your dadi’s lehenga or a Bandhani sari or a Leheriya sari as something extraordinary. I didn’t view these items as fashion then, and it was only when I ventured out in the world that I took notice of their unique beauty.”

NB: What imprints did the dadi’s lehenga or the women on the streets leave on your mind?

SG: “Every community has its own unique design language. And I think the boldness of colour comes from Rajasthan. There, I was introduced to different colour combinations, which redefine sophistication. Culturally, Rajasthan is very rich, and everyone is so stylish—men and women both wear exquisite jewellery. Aesthetics of clothing are built upon layers of colour and textures, bold and unapologetic. It is an aesthetic where fineness does not equal sophistication...you see, sophistication is simply an interpretation. I remember my teacher at NIFT saying that tota green [parrot green] is such a gavaru [unsophisticated] colour. I am from Rajasthan, and I never saw any colour as unsophisticated. And so I decided to stick by lime green. It was this perception that I sought to change...I wanted to provoke the purist, as well as people from the fashion world.”