The Fabric Of Life

Bazaar gets a first look at The Sari Series An Anthology Of Drape, Which explores the magic of the country's de facto national garment

The Sari Series: An Anthology of Drape  celebrates the undeniable allure of the nature of the sari—both for its contribution as a garment and its textile legacy—and traces the shift in how it has been perceived over the years

THE SARI SIGNIFIES THE WARP AND WEFT OF INDIAN CULTURE. Its power lies in its quiet femininity, an unstitched canvas that has survived the test of time. The Sari Series: An Anthology of Drape is an ambitious project that celebrates the undeniable allure of the nature of the sari —both for its contribution as a garment and its textile legacy—and traces the shift in perception from when it was once only reserved for formal occasions, particularly in urban India. Spearheaded by Malika Verma Kashyap, the brain behind Border&Fall, a digital publication and strategic agency, the non-profit film series re-examines the relevance of the sari as one of India’s most tangible cultural contributions. She roped in her childhood friend, the designer Rashmi Varma, and acclaimed stylist Deep Kailey as associate creative directors on board. They have showcased 60 teaser images on the Google Arts & Culture platform, and this fall they will release the digital film anthology of the sari drape, which will include over 80 how-to drape series, and address the sari’s past, present, and future. Bazaar gets the insider’s view.

Supriya Dravid: Tell us about the project’s origin.

Malika Verma Kashyap: This project has two different aims—the first is to create a cultural documentation of the sari that does not currently exist, and make it freely accessible to the public. The second was to address the perception shift of the garment. We’d like people to see the sari for more than what they think they know of it. To us, this is critical in addressing its future.