As a child, I was always fascinated by the six yard wonder that my mother draped so effortlessly everyday while going to work. She used to be a teacher and the sari was an inseparable and important part of her work attire. It was exciting to watch her draping her chiffons and georgettes with such elan. And she always said, that one had to dress well to make an impression and impact. I remember sitting there mesmerized by the drape and the way it looked on my mother.
There were other women as well who defined and shaped my sartorial choices. And these were my teachers. They were women who not only were well read and knowledgeable but had an impeccable taste in sarees. I remember Mrs. Bhatnagar (my Geography teacher) dressed in her colourful crisp cottons with a big red 🔴 bindi on her forehead, Mrs. Devgan (my English teacher) for her eloquence and the cotton sarees she wore to school, Mrs. Kalia (Home Science teacher) always dressed perfectly in her chiffons, Mrs. Butlerwhite (my Vice Principal) who used to wear her sarees in a very crisp and pinned way. We were so scared of Mrs. Butlerwhite's persona that as soon as we heard the clickety clack of her heels in the corridor, we ran head over heels to our respective classes. She was a force to be reckoned with.
There were many others whose names, if I were to mention, this post will be full of names. These women, left an indelible mark on my young mind and I remember them for their personas and their choice of attire. Dressed to make an everlasting impact, a powerful look that meant business - a look that has stayed with me for decades now.
Sometimes I wonder where will they be now and how would they look. I know Mrs. Butlerwhite passed away 5 years back but her image is still so fresh and alive in my mind.
My rendezvous and attachment to the world of sarees as a professional attire started with these women and my mother of course. Sarees that transcended into personal style statements and more - they left their mark on my mind. I wanted to dress up like them and to an extent I did too. I never left an occasion where I could wear a saree myself - college, management institute, work - whenever I could. A saree made me look and feel special - different from the rest. It gave me the power to create a space of my own, it shaped me as a person - confident, determined and headstrong.
My love for sarees made me step into my current business venture - Anoothi. Anoothi is an artisanal design studio for sarees and accessories.
At Anoothi, we create and design sarees for the modern Indian woman who wants to express herself through what she wears and is not afraid to communicate or assert her identity through her sartorial choices.
With Anoothi, my aim is to promote the saree as a preferred choice of attire for young women who want to make a mark or space for themselves. And I hope I am able to do that going forward.
Comments