When a well-woven tussar calls out to you, it’s hard to not turn back, and fall in love. And so, one falls in love over and over again, as Hisham Osman of Silkworm Boutique unfurls sari after sari, all carefully curated for the store’s annual Tussar Festival.
It’s always nice when a store focusses on a sari’s virtues and not about how it looks on you — a client who picks a gorgeous yellow sari with lavender inflections for an evening reception is gently told it’s lovely, but more suited for the morning.
Some of the saris entice from hangers, while others have been folded. Here, it is the sari that dictates how it’s displayed — the heavier saris are all folded, as to not disturb the weave and fall of the garment. An entire wall is a riot of colours — from a demure off-white and black to a shocking pink and everything in between in the colour spectrum, there’s much to choose from.
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Osman spreads out a heavy tussar in a beige-grey combination from Banaras in Uttar Pradesh, where the stars are the fabric and weave. Geometric patterns run through the drape. Team it with an equally-subtle blouse for a formal occasion or jazz it up with a vibrant one for a fun event.
The best part about the collection is that it allows you to mix and match and create your look, because, tussar, by nature, is understated. And here, you can see it woven with cotton, linen, and more.
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The store stocks tussars sourced directly from the weavers (these are in colours and combinations typically associated with the silk) and those that are the result of design intervention (tussars with ikat borders, kalamkari painting, and temple borders). And, Osman confesses that though designer tussar has its fans, what with the range of prints possible, sometimes, it’s nice to see a basic tussar woven the way it has been, for decades, through generations.
And then, he opens out a beige textured tussar with an orange-rust border; just the kind of creation that makes you reach for your wallet.
Take stock
The Fest features saris and ready-to-stitch salwar suits from weaving centres in the East and North of India. It also stocks contemporary prints by Weavers Studio, Kolkata, and Karomi. For everyday wear, check out tussar fused with khadi cotton. They range in price from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 15,000
It is on at Silkworm Boutique, 30, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, till the end of February. For details, call 2833 1991.