"Too
many women think of the sari as something that is very backward and not
cool," the award-winning Indian designer told AFP.
"I
want to tell them: 'The sari is beautiful, it is forgiving, it is unique, and
it is exotic to the whole world'."
Mukherjee's
efforts to modernise the sari by using unusual fabrics such as velvet while
maintaining its iconic silhouette is fuelling a revival of the traditional
drape.
Arguably
India's most successful fashion designer -- whose brand has an annual turnover
of $11 million -- 38-year-old Mukherjee is passionate about the garment.
Young,
career-oriented women had been pushing the sari to the back of their wardrobe,
finding them difficult to tie and unsuited to their busy lifestyles.
Having
first made a name for himself for his mini-dresses, Mukherjee has more recently
devoted his efforts to designing pre-pleated and easy-to-tie saris that are at
the same time exquisitely embroidered.
"When
I was young I migrated to western clothing," he recalled.
"It
took me some time to realise that this is what I wanted to do, that I wanted to
influence Indians to go back to wearing Indian clothes."
The
designer started his Kolkata-based company with a staff of two tailors in 2001,
borrowing $400 from his sister.
An
immediate hit in Indian fashion circles, he used indigenous textiles to design
mini-dresses, which were stocked at leading London stores such as Selfridges.
Despite
his change of focus, his popularity has not waned and his most recent fashion
show this summer played to a packed house.
After
a popular Bollywood actress strolled onto the catwalk, dressed in a
full-skirted tulle sari, a bevy of models appeared, many wearing pre-pleated
saris covered with lace appliqués and accessorised with high heels.
It
is all part of an effort to attract a younger, more style conscious clientele,
Mukherjee explained.
"I
am a purist at heart, I like traditional saris. But I often flirt with the sari
to keep people interested, modifying it in little ways," he said.
He
has also made substantial forays into Bollywood as part of his campaign to
restore the garment's supremacy in the Indian woman's closet.
In
addition to dressing leading actresses including former Miss World Aishwarya
Rai and Vidya Balan for their red carpet appearances, he has designed costumes
for several Hindi films.
According
to Shefalee Vasudev, an author and founding editor of Marie Claire India,
Mukherjee is a fashion visionary.
"He
realised that in the storm of bling and global brands, nothing will stand out.
If everyone has Louis Vuitton and Hermes, they are going to need something else
to stand out from the crowd," she told AFP.
Today,
his saris -- which range in price from $130 to $9,260 -- make up more than 50
percent of Mukherjee's turnover.
At
one of Mukherjee's stores in Delhi, cotton, silk, tulle and organza saris are
displayed against a backdrop suggestive of an India that no longer exists, with
dozens of antique clocks and vintage photographs lining the walls.
"The
traditional Indian sari is very difficult, you know, to understand and wear.
It's tedious to wear," long-time customer Kirti Sharma, 26, said while
adding that she owns several Sabyasachi saris.
"The
blouses are simple, slip-ons. Sometimes it's already tied - the pleats - so you
can just tuck it in and ... and you are ready to go. So things like these have
of course made it very easy."
Mukherjee
plans to open more stores across India, where he currently has four shops,
before expanding overseas a few years down the line.
"It's
the biggest mistake for Indian designers to ignore the sari. Western brands
have so much more experience with western clothing and they can pretty much
obliterate local competition as they enter our market," he said.
Since
he gave the sari a shot in the arm, several other Indian designers have
experimented with the garment, using materials such as lycra and leather.
Fashion
industry observers say Mukherjee's success reflects an emerging self-confidence
among Indians who are keen to hold on to their past while the country undergoes
significant change.
Vasudev
said its appeal among Indian women revealed that "deep in our insides we
still want a piece of our mother's closet, our grandmother's closet".
She
added: "We are not so comfortable with the shortest dress, with the little
black dress. And if we are, we must have a piece of India as well."
-source: msn.com.ph
No comments:
Post a Comment