If you thought linen was a dapper fabric only for prêt and furnishing then think again. For here comes the linen sari. Not so common but in the hands of a few designers linen has been beautifully textured into the six-yard wonder.
Chennai-based designer, Prabha Narasimhan who is showcasing her collection, ‘Amrita', at Collage a boutique in Panampilly Nagar has brought the linen sari along with a host of other individually crafted sari ensemble.
The collection, ‘Amrita Classic', is novel, exciting and vibrant.
Contrary to fears that the attraction for western dressing will swallow up the traditional sari, Gen Next is living it up in the sari, Prabha firmly believes. She has been on the sari trail for the past ten years since she set up her design outlet, Amrita in Chennai. Though she retails western and Indo western outfits too under her label, Prabha has brought only her collection of saris. . “I know the Kerala market. It is understated and classic,” she says, adding that she has included vibrant colours for the younger generation.
Prabha has been designing customised trousseaus for many brides from Kerala and hence knows the prevailing fashion buzz.
Love for linen
“Linen saris are my signature pieces. I can safely say that I may perhaps be one of the first to make linen saris,” says Prabha, who moved into designing after a 31- year career in the aviation industry. She was head of sales for Singapore Airlines before working in a well-known travel agency. It was an innate passion for design that brought her into designing from a totally different industry. In her tenth year this is a special anniversary collection, she says.
As linen is a heavy fabric, Prabha lightens it by going for the pure gauze version. She blends other fabrics with linen to lighten it, such as “half linen, half Assam silk” or she reduces the weight by adding a crushed cotton pallav. Such adventurous innovations, “bring the weight down by fifty per cent. After all it should be comfortable,” she says looking stylish in her cream and blue shaded linen sari.
Kerala sari experiments
The Kerala sari too has undergone elegant additions and enhancements. Some of the innovations are attaching antique brocade borders or jazzing up the white and gold sari with a brocade blouse.
Her Indo-western designs include cocktail dresses, which she says are in vogue in Chennai. Lately she has been doing wedding gowns too and the entire pre and post wedding wardrobes for clients. “I conceptualise the patterns, colours and cuts and have master cutters to give shape to my ideas,” says Prabha who does not do any mass production and mainly bespoke creations. “I want to bring out only special collections, like the present one, for exhibitions,” she says.
The sari scene in South India excites her. She knows for sure that the younger generation is enjoying the traditional wear. “All that they want is to jazz it up. They are delighted to wear the sari with a sensational blouse.” Restoring old wedding saris and family heirloom saris is another extension of her designing capabilities. “That way one can retain a sentimental, special piece,” says Prabha who has dressed dancer Anita Ratnam on many occasions.
The current collection has kalamkaris, chettinads, linen and the price starts at Rs. 5,000. For Prabha the sari has become a “modern garment.”
The exhibition concludes on June 16, the saris will be in stock for a week.
