“Ultimate Saree” – the Benarasi Saree!

“Every mother has a dream to gift at least one Benarasi saree to her daughter in marriage,” – Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

Indeed every mother dreams of dressing her daughter in Benarasi Saree, especially in North India and gift her some on her special occasion. I too think of doing so…gifting one on my daughter’s marriage, owing to its cult status – the gorgeous Benarasi Saree, like my mother who gifted me many on my marriage. I love Benarasi Sarees and like to wear on special occasions like marriages, engagements etc. Being from North India, my love for Benarasi sarees is unquestionable.

I recollect my eldest Bua (Father’s Sister – Mrs. Sarojini Chandra) having one beautiful, hand woven, heritage Benarasi Saree in deep Purple colour with Silver Motifs all over (jaal) and intricate border. Bua looked beautiful in that Saree. As a child, I could not tell her then, but today, I regret not asking her for that Saree, I know she would have happily given me and I would have been the proud owner of that heritage piece in silk!

Benarasi Saree is not just a saree, but a prized possession for any women who know its worth. In North India, brides wore Red & Gold Benarsi Saree for Jaimaal and Yellow & Gold for Saptpadi (Pheras) and Benarasi Lehengas for Sangeet etc. So it was Benarasi weave all through. These sarees’ special characteristics are Mughal inspired designs such as intricate intertwining floral and foliate motifs, kalga and bel, a string of upright leaves called jhallar at the outer, edge of border is a characteristic of these sarees. Other features are gold work, compact weaving, figures with small details, metallic visual effects, pallus, jal (a net like a pattern), and mina work.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee, one of the master weavers of India, makes the world of Indian Brides truly spectacular, by the very look of it, you can make out that she is “Sabyasachi Bride”. He has dressed innumerable brides in Benarasi Sarees and Lehenga Chunrees from across the communities, caste and creed. The thread of Benarasi Saree unites all Indian brides who want to dress in their Benarasi Lehenga, irrespective and what if, it is by master creator – Sabyasachi.

And this time as well, with his ‘Banarasi Bride’ collection, he’s done a fabulous job. Intricate designs of rich hues of Banarasi fabric teamed up with elegantly designed blouses made his collection just too good for the eyes to behold! The sea-green Banarasi bridal lehengas and sarees of his that were displayed at the Amazon India Fashion Week won quite a lot of admiration and applause.

Ralph Fitch (1583–91) describes Banaras as a thriving sector of the cotton textile industry. The earliest mention of the brocade and Zari textiles of Banaras is found in the 19th century. With the migration of silk weavers from Gujarat during the famine of 1603, it is likely that silk brocade weaving started in Banaras in the seventeenth century and developed in excellence during the 18th and 19th century. During the Mughal period, around 14th century, the weaving of brocades with intricate designs using gold and silver threads became the speciality of Banaras.

This way we see, Gujarat has Benaras connection!

Now we have the same intricate weave of Benaras brought to you by Surat based Triveni Ethnics, known for their gorgeous and vast collection of sarees. Incidentally, it is worth noting, Benarasi Saree’s pricing is prohibitive sometimes owing to various factors thus making affordability an issue. So if you want to have a collection of Benarasis in your wardrobe on a budget, take your pick from an awesome collection of Triveni’s – Shatika –  Banarsees made in Art Silk collection with beautiful traditional motifs, designs,  and styles in bright colours with Golden Zari borders.

Each saree is complemented with matching woven/brocaded blouse piece. The saree in zari brocade and in bright colours is a brilliant collection to choose from. You can order these online and get your Sarees delivered at your doorsteps.

Some elite ones preferred Zardozi over Benarasi but nothing beyond that. Times changed, so did the Bridal outfits, courtesy Bollywood brides who wore designer Lehengas, experimenting in different shades and trendy embroidery.

Lehengas became heavier by the day, heavier the lehenga, happier the bride.

So if you are planning to visit Banaras (read: Varanasi) , don’t forget to pick a beautiful Benarasi Saree.

 

Triveni Sarees, the Madhubani paintings Canvas!

If you have ever envied the look ethnic look of beautiful actresses Shabana Azmi or  Vidya Balan in their exquisite Handloom Sarees, big bindis, and heritage jewels…

 …Go for Triveni Sarees Madhubani collection to get the look! Now it’s your time to turn them green with envy!!

The latest offering from Triveni Stable is of Sarees based on beautiful Mithila imprints of Bihar, better known as – The Madhubani paintings.  Triveni’s exclusive collection in super soft blended cotton with delightful Madhubani designs is around to steal the limelight.

The effeminate saree collection is ideal for formal wear collection which is complemented with beautiful Art Silk borders and beautifully complementing blouse pieces. Sarees really look beautiful and flawless to adorn to get that classy look, which was possible only with steeply priced Handloom Sarees.

But this collection by Triveni is the answer to that which comes at highly affordable prices. Ladies, if you are going to be part of any Seminar, Conference, Workshop or any other official function, Madhubani Sarees are the best bet. These will surely give you the look of the likes of Shabana Azmi, Ila Arun or even Vidya Balan which you have always envied.

Madhubani – Mithila Painting (also called Madhubani art or Mithila painting) is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. Painting is done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, and is characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns. There is ritual content for particular occasions, such as birth or marriage, and festivals, such as Holi, Surya Shakti, Kali Puja, Upanayana, Durga Puja.

Madhubani painting/Mithila painting was traditionally created by the women of the Brahman, Dusadh and Kayastha communities in Mithila region in India. It originated from Mithila region and Madhubani district of Bihar became the major export center of these paintings, hence, it is popularly called Mithila painting or Madhubani painting.  This painting as a form of wall art was practiced widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas mainly originated among the villages around Madhubani, and it is these latter developments led to the name Madhubani art being used alongside the name “Mithila Painting.

The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, hand-made paper, and canvas. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice. Madhubani painting has remained confined to a compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style have largely remained the same. And that is the reason for Madhubani painting being accorded the coveted GI (Geographical Indication) status. Madhubani paintings also use two-dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.

Madhubani paintings mostly depict the men & its association with nature and the scenes & deity from the ancient epics. Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings. Generally, no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. Traditionally, the painting was one of the skills that were passed down from generation to generation in the families of the Mithila Region, mainly by women. It is still practiced and kept alive in the institutions spread across Mithila region. Kalakriti in Darbhanga, Vaidehi in Madhubani and Gram Vikas Parishad in Ranti are some of the major centers of Madhubani painting which has kept this ancient art form alive.

 

Lehenga Sarees, ruling the roost this marriage season!

Lehenga style saree or Lehenga Saree as it is famously known, is not a new phenomenon as it is made out to be. Women in South India always worn it in South Silk, Cotton Ikats or Kanjiveram Silks but it came into limelight with Deepika Padukone wearing it on screen in movie Chennai Express. All of us loved her simple demeanor in vibrant coloured, flowy fabrics, intricate gold borders and heavy Gold Pallu lehenga sarees which made Deepika look gorgeous, nonetheless girl next door too!

Deepika Padukone in beautiful Lehenga Sarees in Chennai Express

Then we watched Alia Bhatt wearing those in popular Bollywood movie – Two States, where she looked absolutely stunning in those lehenga sarees.

So what are these lehenga sarees?  Lehenga sarees are an aesthetic blend of the traditional saree and a lehenga choli where saree is normally 4.5 meters long. To wear one, unlike a sari, one doesn’t have to form pleats but may simply ‘tuck and drape’. Like that of a traditional saree, the lehenga style saree is worn over a petticoat (inskirt, pavadai in the south, and shaya in eastern India), along with a designer blouse called the choli.

Many designers like Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani and Sabyasachi Mukherjee have done some exquisite collections of lehenga saree which have high style quotient and dollops of traditional inputs. World over brides are loving their Lehenga Sarees…heavy embroideries, free-flowing fabrics and beautiful cuts make these every bride’s dream.

Bride in Sabyasachi Lehenga

It will not be a misnomer to say that lehenga sarees present beautiful amalgamation of comfort and style. Today’s youngsters who don’t want to look aunties in a saree and over dressed in a lehenga, want to sport fusion of the two. They want to dress without any encumbrances, without compromising on style quotient and lehenga sarees are just an answer to that. The easy-to-wear option of the garment tells the ladies just to slip into it and be ready in minutes. Stitched as a long flared skirt with a zip at the side, it is made to the measurements of the wearer. The ensemble needs to be slipped in, then the wearer can fasten the zipper and drape the pallu over the shoulders. This is an outfit for ladies who are not comfortable with usual draping and pleating that the regular saree demands.

Designer lehenga sarees may not be easy on pocket as these come with hefty designer price tags and if you want value for money pricing with designer inputs, choose from the gorgeous collection of triveniethnics.com. You can choose from their wide range of lehenga sarees suitable for any occasion. The lehenga saree in question here is getting beautiful contrast owning to use of colours: Electric Blue & Dazzling Blue with sequins all over. This lehenga saree stands out from the usual reds and peaches, blues & greens. The golden lace at the border adds jazz to the look.  Teamed with Art Silk blouse with white hexagonal net lehenga has gracious falls. It can be complimented with light traditional gold jewellery to enhance the look with swag!

Speaking on lehenga saree collection, Mr. Arvind Saraf, Director,  TriveniEthnics said, “Lehenga Saree is in trend from last five years but it gained momentum with Deepika wearing it in Chennai Express. It is a fusion of lehenga, owing to its cuts & shape, with drape of a saree. For a wedding, saree may look casual and lehenga too traditional, so we at Triveni made it more occasion oriented with ease of wearing & carrying attached to it.”

He adds, “Lehenga saree is simplified lehenga with saree like dupatta and a designer choli to boot, the look is very close to half-half saree as worn in South India. From last one year art-silks and brocade lehengas have become very popular with embroideries, works, prints and borders which gives them a rich look.”

Speaking on the innovations done keeping the tastes of trendy, yet traditional youngsters in mind, Saraf says, “ Few years ago our lehengas had heavy embroideries but now we have moved to soft prints in pastel colours providing heavy borders to lehenga, complimenting it with beautiful saree and designer choli which have become quite popular with youngsters. Moreover these are very easy to carry unlike saree which youngsters sometimes find quite cumbersome to manage.”

On Triveni’s lehenga Saree collection, Saraf says, “Bollywood has raised the fashion aspirations of Indian women. Keeping that in mind, our lehengas too have fair amount of embroidery catering to North Indian tastes.  Earlier it was primarily occasion wear but now it is has become very popular for Mehendis and Sangeets. These have become pan India phenomenon with any women sitting in remotest part of India having  them and flaunting them.”

Beautiful world of Triveni Lehenga Sarees

Various rich and exquisite embellishments are used on lehenga style sarees patterns, which include silver embroidery, golden embroidery, metal beads, real pearls, wood beads, glass beads, mirror work, lace work, Kundan, sequins, glittering stones, zardozi, etc. Mostly rich fabrics like silk, georgette, brasso, brocade, chiffon, crepe, etc., are used in the making of a lehenga style saree.

I think Lehenga Saree would be toast of this marriage season, particularly for mehendi & sangeet!

So what are you thinking, order one from Triveni Ethnics for Mere hathon mein nau nau choodiyan hain…

 

 

 

Bachpan wali woh Diwali…Aaj Kal ki yeh Diwali!

Day started with receiving Diwali wishes on Whatapp since early morning, followed by early cooking, watching Rangoli – Diwali Special on DD National, house cleaning and preparation for the evening pooja.  But…I did not forget to listen to PM Narendra Modi’s Mann –Ki- Baat on radio which was based on Diwali and Festivities surrounding it! I can safely say it was the Best Diwali described ever!!  He expressed Diwali’s significance in a very unique way; he dedicated this Diwali to Soldiers of the country that guards our borders while we celebrate.

 This year it was a low-key Diwali for Vaghela house-hold as my father in law moved on his eternal journey who immensely loved Diwali followed by Gujarati New Year which was a big celebration in Vaghela House hold with patriarch “Pappa”  and “Dada” who took great interest in all the celebrations.  We all miss his presence this Diwali!! He will always be missed!!!

 Daughter Tanya is here from hostel joined with her friend Dhruvi which brought lot of joy and festivities to the festival.  Festivities started with Dhanteras Pujan at office where like one big happy family we joined hands to celebrate, there was lighting, finery, jewellery, traditional dress, puja, mithai, gifting, receiving, family gathering and what not…followed by Dhanteras Puja at home. Like all years, this year’s Diwali is also big on Laxmi Puja which I would be performing in special Temple Border Kanjeevaram saree received from www.triveniethnics.com for Laxmi Pujan. Thanks Triveni for making festivities even more special…

Saree courtesy: Triveni Ethnics

 This Diwali was made even more special by fond memories of Diwali celebrations in our childhood by one of the most revered poet by writer & poet Gulzar which I am sharing with you below. What a beautiful expression through –  बचपन वाली वो दिवाली.

हफ्तों पहले से साफ़-सफाई में जुट जाते हैं, चूने के कनिस्तर में थोड़ी नील मिलाते हैं,

अलमारी खिसका खोयी चीज़ वापस  पाते हैं, दोछत्ती का कबाड़ बेच कुछ पैसे कमाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं  ….

दौड़-भाग के घर का हर सामान लाते हैं, चवन्नी -अठन्नी  पटाखों के लिए बचाते हैं

सजी बाज़ार की रौनक देखने जाते हैं, सिर्फ दाम पूछने के लिए चीजों को उठाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

बिजली की झालर छत से लटकाते हैं, कुछ में मास्टर  बल्ब भी  लगाते हैं

टेस्टर लिए पूरे इलेक्ट्रीशियन बन जाते हैं, दो-चार बिजली के झटके भी  खाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

दूर थोक की दुकान से पटाखे लाते है, मुर्गा ब्रांड हर पैकेट में खोजते जाते है

दो दिन तक उन्हें छत की धूप में सुखाते हैं, बार-बार बस गिनते जाते है, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

धनतेरस के दिन कटोरदान लाते है, छत के जंगले से कंडील लटकाते हैं

मिठाई के ऊपर लगे काजू-बादाम खाते हैं, प्रसाद की  थाली   पड़ोस में  देने जाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

माँ से खील में से  धान बिनवाते हैं , खांड  के खिलोने के साथ उसे जमके खाते है

अन्नकूट के लिए सब्जियों का ढेर लगाते है, भैया-दूज के दिन दीदी से आशीर्वाद पाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

दिवाली बीत जाने पे दुखी हो जाते हैं , कुछ न फूटे पटाखों का बारूद जलाते हैं

घर की छत पे दगे हुए राकेट पाते हैं , बुझे दीयों को मुंडेर से हटाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

बूढ़े माँ-बाप का एकाकीपन मिटाते हैं, वहीँ पुरानी रौनक फिर से लाते हैं

सामान  से नहीं ,समय देकर सम्मान  जताते हैं, उनके पुराने सुने किस्से फिर से सुनते जाते हैं, चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं …

Best tribute to our bachpan ki diwali!

Diwali has always been my favourite festival. I start preparing for the festival at least one month in advance with shopping, scouting for gifting ideas, decorations, diya making & buying etc. Diwali brings immense joy to me personally. Entire year I wait for Diwali as it is a great social, religious, religious and festivities oriented festival, I love everything around Diwali…weather also take a turn for the better! Not only this, it is the time of the year when I like to introspect about the year gone by and prepare for the future dreams…wish dreams were horses. No Diwali goes without remembering DIWALI we use to celebrate at our home town Gwalior amidst battery of family members, buas, cha-chas, dadi-dada, bhaiyya, bhabhis, didis…everybody. For female members it was kitchen time all five days whereas we children enjoyed festivities with new dresses, sweets, delicacies, crackers, rangoli…to top it all outstation visits in Diwali vacation.

You can watch PM Narendra Modi’s Manni-ki-Baat here!

Diwali is big Puja time particularly Laxmi Pujan…which I do with lot of enthusiasm and fervour as ever.

Wish all my readers a very happy Diwali & Prosperous New Year!!

 

 

Triveni’s Sentorini -2 drum rolls festive season!

Be a Senorita in Triveni’s Sentorini -2 this festive season…

Surat based Triveni’s latest launch Sentorini-2 breezes in with unmatchable royalty and festive fervour providing new vitality and brightness to the collection. Thus declaring the onset of festival season and celebrations thereon. As the season of jubilations approach, the mood sets for festive shopping, fun and explorations.   Colorful rich sarees in charming prints, traditional outlay and latest surface works from the collection are ready to establish any woman as an ethnic diva.

The bright palette of the collection comprises of Yellows, Oranges and Pinks in combination with Blues, Greens and Whites and to complete the look are printed base of Bandhni and Leheriya impressions. The occasional patch work of stone and embroidered laces add dazzle to the saree. Foil work, appliqué work, patch work on net fabric, gota and cut work on the borders of the saree provides it a regal look.

Blouses are of rich brocades and viscose whereas Chunri print, net, Bhagalpuri printed fabric gives the collection a royal appeal. All these inputs enable providing saree a comfortable drape. Readymade laces and embroidered nets are a distinct feature of the blouses adding richness to the look.

You can complement the look with the Kundan jewellery. Heavy but minimalist jewellery shall hit the perfect ten! Well, guess what may just explode as a latest ethnic trend . . . try some Temple jewellery! Let the hair loose, spirits soar and mind refresh as we enter the festive season in the latter half of 2016.

You can order your Sentorini – 2 from www.triveniethnics.com. But not before catching the look on my blog.

 

Triveni Sangam in Kolkata

 February 7, 2016:  Kolkata tasted the flavour of intricately crafted sarees from Surat, served on a platter by none other than Surat based Triveni Sarees. Kolkata which is famous for its exquisite Bengal Handloom sarees, welcomed Triveni Sarees with open arms, probably because of their variety, colour, styling, fabrics, embellishments and wonderful blending of mass & class elements in their sarees. Kolkatta Saree(nistas) gathered  at Oxford Book Store, Park Street on sunny Sunday morning to catch the glimpse of Triveni Sarees and learn the craft of draping by famed Ms. Dolly Jain. I am sure bloggers must have had a great time, like we had in Triveni’s Meet in  Mumbai.  Indeed it was crossroad of bloggers, ethnic wear and saree lovers and Triveni’s insight and ideas upon ethnic wears.

I think venue was very carefully selected by Triveni Team because as much we love our books, we love our sarees too. Can’t get enough of both! Never say never for both. Any number of books on our book-shelves and any number of sarees are welcome in our wardrobe, as both have place of pride in our hearts too!!

The event channelized by Arvind Saraf, Director, Triveni, turned out to be unique where bloggers had great time amidst sarees and more sarees.

Here is a report on Triveni Meet, Kolkata:

On the ‘Fresh – February’s one of the rosy Sundays women with an ethnic connect and some with curious amazement participated in the Triveni meet. Many of them shared their musings and excitement over the two sessions in which the

event was spread. Mr. Arvind Saraf, Director, Triveni introduced the brand and spoke about the vision of spreading the endemic heredity since expanding beyond sarees and dealing with all sorts of ethnic wear for men, women and kids.

Ladies present at the event were then introduced to many fabrics and their characteristics. Attendees were eager to know about the specialty of the sarees and their distinct appeal. Much awaited part of the meet approached when Ms. Dolly Jain took the stage and everyone present was left gasping with her unique fete of draping a saree in most velocious and elegant fashion. Ms. Jain is a world renowned saree draper, who also happens to be the Limca and India Book of record holder for draping a saree into 125 unique styles. The very fun, sprightly – Le Debonair bloggers who attended the event were found clicking pictures, mingling with each other over the splendid grace of sarees at session end.

Attendees shared their experiences and memoirs related to sarees. Stating about their delight after being left informative and amazed, bloggers at the meet stated how they have developed the confidence of wearing one regardless of their body frame, thanks to the meet. The event was channelized by Arvind Saraf, Director, Triveni. Checking the brightness of the event, Saraf described the meet informative and involving. Speaking about further such activities, Saraf added that Triveni has always endeavored to get people involved and evolve as ‘People’s brand’.

Hence, many such associations are looked forward to.

Triveni is a 30 year old maker of Sarees and Indian Ethnic wear. Based on the solid foundation built by its Sakambari Silks Mills, Triveni has spanned to global proportions with the advent of its online store – TriveniEthnics.com. Triveni currently has over 80 wholesale counters all over India with listings in all major online retailers as well. Triveni went online in 2011, taking the Triveni collection worldwide (www.triveniethnics.com), online & a few clicks away. Triveni’s designs & collections are now available at most major retailers in India and most major web-portals in India & worldwide.

 

Saree Gowns: Swing to the Silhouette in Style!!!

For the first time I noticed Saree Gown in a fashion show in New Delhi few years ago where model sported neon green saree gown by designer Monisha Jaising…

…Model looked fabulous in the outfit, which at hindsight appeared to me like a saree draped differently like the one by Mumtaz in Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar ke Charche…but as she came close I realized that it was something starkly different. Indeed it was an attempt to update traditional saree by fusing it with a gown like silhouette. Here, the outfit was paradoxical mix of fluidity and construction, which combined the saree’s classic structure with the comfort of zipped – up gown. Outcome, your heavily embroidered saree or lehenga will not come in the way when you swing – Girls like to Swing on your best friend’s sangeet.

One fine morning, not too long ago, a tweet landed in my account from @triveniethnics displaying their saree gown collection, which instantly caught my fancy and I suddenly recollected seeing them at a fashion show (mentioned above). The outfit in itself is quite exciting as it wonderfully blends silhouettes of a gown with that of a saree and the result is magical. You are adorning the class of a saree and style of a gown in one single outfit. Saree Gown has the comfort of the gown and drape of the saree which gives women the liberty of doing whatever they want. It makes them look elegant & dolled up at the same time, whichever look they want to flaunt. It is an ideal outfit for pretty, young Indian girls who always like to dress to the occasion. It is a fusion of Western & Indian, tradition & trend and style & Silhouette. Apprising about the breathtakingly beautiful collection of saree gowns, Arvind Saraf, Director, Triveni Ethnics said, “We always attempt to give something new to our customers and saree –gown is one of those outfit. We are sure it will attract young upwardly mobile women who do not shirk from trying something new all the time; especially when it comes to occasion wear. Our Saree Gowns are quite unique because of the use of fabrics like Georgette, nets, chiffons with heavily embroidered tops and colour palette is also quite strong which would appeal younger audience especially.

Highlight of the collection is  heavy embroidery on sleeves and layering at the bottom.” He observed a very pertinent point, “Our girls have become quite global but they do not want to compromise on the traditional look when going for an occasion, for them these saree gowns would be an ideal outfit to adorn. Here they want to look stylized but not too Western too. This outfit addresses their concern here.”

Triveni Ethnics are based out of Surat, Gujarat who brings in vast experience in the field of sarees from many decades. Triveni Sarees are available on a pan India level across various budgets, styles, fabrics & fashions from both Online & Offline platforms. They have something for every woman. Don’t miss on checking their bridal collection!!!

& of course saree gowns!!!!

You can check & order the Saree – Gown Collection on http://www.triveniethnics.com starting from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 15,000.

Gowns shown in photos above, barring first one are courtesy: Triveni Ethnics

SKD: Tough competition for Sarees, Lehengas, Lachas, even Coporate wear!

For the uninitiated: SKD stands for our humble Salwar Kameez Dupatta

Can SKD be preferred choice of brides?

All of you would say, of course! Sikh brides wear for their Anand Karaj (Gurudwara) wedding all the time. And suddenly picture of pretty brides in red & gold embroidered Salwar Kameez Dupattas is alive before our eyes. But times have moved, so has our humble Salwar Kameez which was till few years ago was witnessed as comfortable alternative to saree. Coming back to SKD’s, yesterday I watched Band Bajaa Bride on NDTV Good Times which showed make-over of a Sikh bride and her preparations for Gurudwara wedding. I was amazed to see the bridal outfit done by ace designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee which was an Anarkali in pale pink with very heavy gold embroidery though very tastefully done for the bride’s wedding. It was such a pleasant break from the regular wedding outfits in red & gold. The outfit was so splendid that a bride from any state would love to have her wedding in that.

Indeed Salwar Kameez has undergone a complete transformation in last few years, and I must say Anarkali Suits are the longest running fashion statement. The craze for Anarkalis is just not fading; they are everywhere – Sangeets, Mehendis, Ceremonies, Festivals, Parties, kitty parties, themes parties, social get-togethers and even offices. Once considered as pehnava of North (Read: Delhi / Punjab/ Haryana) it is ruling the roost. No wonder in other parts of the country these are being addressed as: Punjabis. Today the humble SKDs are adorned by the fashionistas across the world for their special occasions. Owning to some remarkable work done by designers like Sabyasachi, Abu Jaani & Sandeep Khosla, Ritu Kumar, Shaina N.C. SKDs are making fashion statements globally.

Uma Thurman in Pink Designer SKD

Me, my mother & my daughter, all are equally fond of SKDs. I wear it regularly for my office and not just for special occasions and I must admit I am most comfortable in them, and look stylishly dressed too. Though availability of readymade SKDs in malls, high-streets and regular markets have made it very easy to access them which fit also quite well as they come in all shapes and sizes. Semi-stitched versions which are available on line or offline are most preferred ones. There are host of choices available in SKDs which can give tough competition to not only sarees, lehengas, lachas, shararas or even corporate wear!

While browsing online for some exquisite collection of Salwar Kameezes for upcoming marriages in the family and some other occasions, fast approaching New Year, I checked the site of http://www.triveniethnics.com that are well-known name in sarees for last 30 years. Like their designer collection of sarees for mass market, their SKDs collection is no less. It is a heady concoction of SKDs which one can pick up for special occasions like Mehendi, Sangeet, marriages, parties or even regular office wear. Some are so ethereal that you would just love to possess them. Free flowing fabrics, pleasing to the eyes colour combinations, nice embellishments, fine silhouettes are some of the high points of the collection. I would like to talk about one particular SKD – A white SKD in a brasso fabric with white lace in the neck line and at the bottom with Gota embellished Dupatta. The silhouette is a cross between A-line and Anarkali. It is ideal for all body shapes and particularly if you want to flaunt Simi Garewal like looks for your kitty party. All kittens in the party would turn green!

So for all your “Green” friends, Triveniethnics has a beautiful straight cut mehendi green kutra with very tasteful embroidery and teamed with electric blue lacha and dupatta. This will certainly send some blue shock waves in the party.

My choice was the black one with majenta and beaten gold embroidery starting from the neck-line and running below the waist with heavy border at the bottom. It is presenting a very wonderful contrast of colours and would be ideal for a night party where you want to look stylish as well as feel like a princess too!

Yea, one important element, Triveni’s bottom combinations of salwaars, churidars, leggings, lachas, pajamas, patialas give them an interesting twist.

Speaking on the collection, Mr Arvind Saraf, Director, Triveni Ethnics shared, “ Our SKD range is mostly available in Online space but many designer boutiques also stock them. We pick up choicest of the fabrics going by our experience with Sarees and with Triveni SKDs we want to provide whole bouquet of traditional wear to our customers worldwide. We have extensive range of SKDs right from printed ones to heavily embroidered ones which are having pocket –friendly price points. ” Saraf Adds, “ Our SKDs have lot of blended fabrics in georgettes, chiffons, poly-cottons, cottons, though it is a traditional wear but it is not bereft of western influences with long falls, short corsets and palazzo pants, besides Karachi Kurtas which are much in vogue now a days.”

There is a huge collection of SKDs which you can pick and choose just by visiting http://www.triveniethnics.com and buying online on the site is also quite easy. So need to run helter skelter for your SKD shopping. Just log on here!

Ladies watch Tamasha, in Tamasha Collection of Triveni Sarees!

Blockbuster from Triveni Ethnics: TAMASHA Collection!

With festive season just knocking our doors, what could have been better than adorning a beautiful saree and stun your guests! Triveni Ethnics have recently launched Tamasha collection, for the young & upwardly mobile ladies who want to make their festival special.

“This collection is different from our other collections owing to its unique styling where sarees are light and blouses are heavy”, says Surat based Arvind Saraf, Director of Triveni Ethnics. He adds, “The fabrics used are georgettes and satin with dash of embroidery in gold and silver whereas patchwork on blouse and shoulder lends it a unique look.”

Saraf informs, after dual sarees of Chennai Express, these sarees would be a welcome change which would have great acceptance amongst youngsters who want that special look for parties, festivals, sangeets, movies or just outings. I couldn’t have agreed for more!

For some sarees, the collection looked inspired by 70s look of Mumtaz who adorned heavily embroidered georgette sarees with élan…who would mind that retro look for friend’s sangeet.

A word about the collection:

Tamasha has Georgette sarees in sober shade fabrics with one satin saree. The body of each saree has exclusive cut patches and readymade borders. The beautiful embroidery work on shoulder gives a unique look and feel to this collection. The box pallu embroidery patches enhance the grace and beauty of the wearer. Every design is unique in the embroidery pattern and placement, which makes each saree different from the other.

Complementing the beautiful sarees, in this collection, are beautifully crafted unique blouses in various fabrics with attractive embroidery. This collection has a plethora of fabrics and patterns to choose from. Chiffon, georgette, jacquard, printed fabrics, brasso, satin / velvet for blouses and borders and shaded fabrics offer you a vast choice in a single collection. Also the attractive borders and embroidery in embroidered patches, stone work, foil work, hand patches, cut work and machine embroidery represent the magic story in the collection.
Exclusive and intricate embroidered; Bhagalpuri and brocade borders provide a majestic look to the collection. You now have every opportunity to make your personal style statement, this festive season, with this exclusive collection.

Now you too can match the look of Deepika Padukone in Tamasha.

While you are booking your Tamasha tickets online, you can order your Tamasha saree online too at http://www.triveniethinics.com.

Triveni Ethnics: Organically grown Corporate!

 Must Read account of Surat based Triveni Ethnics which has totally transformed how Saree business is done in India.

All great things start with a move…as did Triveni Ethnics three decades ago when in 1985, Mr Giridhar Sarraf moved from one textile hub in the North (Read: Varanasi) to another textile hub in the West (Read: Surat) to setup Sakambari Silk Mills. Sakambari manufactured synthetic sarees under the brand name “Triveni Sarees”. Leaving their Suiting/ Shirting business behind, Sarraf started from the scratch with Triveni Ethnics – named after his mother.

It is predominantly a traditional family set – up where Senior Sarraf still comes to office daily, followed by Sons Shailesh Sarraf, who understands Surat’s textile industry like no other and has been driving home much of the product innovation, core sales and marketing revitalization; IITian & MITian Arvind Sarraf who brings in high level of efficiency, digitization, monitoring & innovation in the organization culture.

Indeed, the sons have taken Triveni Ethnics to new highs following their father’s vision. Today it is a well-known name in Sarees and ethnic wear. I would like to term it “Organically grown, Corporate”

Sarraf’s model Triveni on microcosmic India, a long lived traditional system, blended in with contemporary elements, bringing on cultural change. Being organically built from the scratch, they know how to be frugal, prudent in avoiding wastage, and quite frankly – even bearing with some inconveniences. It seems they believe in “No pains, no gains.”

Speaking to travel-knots, Shailesh Sarraf said, “Our biggest markets are UP and Bihar followed by Gujarat which are markets for classes as well as masses. Ours is a distributor driven business where we have distributors in almost all the states, who visit our office regularly to pick –up sarees according to their markets. ”

The office set – up is a blend of tradition and modernism. It has a cabin well – equipped for marketing and Digital presentations and outside you have traditional Gaadis for distributors to have a dekko at wide range of sarees. We too seated ourselves on Gaadis to catch the glimpse of Triveni Sarees. Shailesh adds, “To give a contemporary look and feel to the brand, we have added Salwar Suits, Lehenga Cholis, Lehenga Sarees, Kurtis, Jewellery, Cotton and Silk Sarees to our collection thus Triveni Sarees became Triveni Ethnics.”

The Digital Brain behind the brand, Arvind shared, “Though it is distributor led business but we track all our orders online which keep us updated about the movement of orders.”

Not only this, he added, “Our online platform – e-commerce is also very strong where we ship nearly thousand sarees a day to our customers not only in India but across the globe.” It is a very robust platform and shopping of sarees here is quite an experience. (I have experienced it myself).

As I mentioned earlier, it is run like a corporate – I will take you through all!

The Triveni team comprises of Designers from NIFT who churn out designs and designs to suit every palette.  Shalini Raj who is chief designer, also a drape expert was quite a delight, she showed us her drawing book which had many interesting designs and explained us how design team works. Then we moved to digital design team and e-commerce team where Nupur Chaturvedi told us that how they align shipments, orders, designs and tacking of the products.

We were shown the raw material, laces, sequins, decorations in hordes which are used by the design team. For the first time we came to know that what a humongous effort it is to make one saree! From here we moved to the ware house, which was huge and looked like a sea of sarees but, but, it was most organized warehouse I had ever been to. Mr Vineet Agarwal who manages it all delightfully shared his management techniques.

Conscious of the fact, that Saree remains favourite with the younger lot like their mothers and grandmothers, group does lot of engagement programs with young and upwardly mobile ladies. Not only their range of sarees appeals to the young Indian women by virtue of their design, fabrics, styling, colour range and most importantly, online access, their campus outreach programs are something to talk home about. Speaking on the subject, Nupur Sharma told us, “We do number of outreach programs in Campus and Corporates like Live Projects and Contests, Campus Ambassador, U- Design Contest, Saree Draping workshops and Triveni Case Challenge.” Indeed a great initiative to keep our youngsters abreast with most prominent symbol of Indian culture – The Saree!

Besides, Group highly appreciates the role played by Bloggers in popularizing Triveni Sarees Sarees and ethnic wear, they run an exclusive outreach program where they ship sarees to Bloggers from all over the world. I must tell you that Triveni Sarees have graced some big red carpet events by Bloggers from Europe and the US. These bloggers flaunt these sarees on special occasions and post it on Triveni’s face book page / twitters handles whom Triveni terms as Triveni Brand Ambassadors – Priyanka Chopras of this world, take a walk…

The ‪#‎Gujarati_Style_Drape‬ by Kseniia Iarovchyk

Garima Dutt in Bengali Drape

Now plans are on the anvil, to take their brand Ship Kala forward which has beautiful collection of handicraft sarees and ethnic wear. Arvind feels that it is high time that artisans get their due, and he wants to take Ship Kala to foreign shores for his patrons.

Must admit had loads of fun amidst Sarrafs, Sarees & Surat!

If you are a saree buff, visit their website: http://www.triveniethnics.com and order some for the festive season, I must tell you, you would be turning your friends Green with just one click! Rest Triveni Saree will do!