The Story Behind the Viral Saree Sonam Kapoor Wore to Cannes 2016

It isn’t that we haven’t seen different versions of the saree coming from creative Indian designers in the past.

But what differentiates this Rimzim Dadu saree from the others is that it is a radical redefinition of its aesthetic– it is handsome and industrial– far removed from the delicate tenderness of its more traditional cousins.

In fact, its glossy metalic pallu seems like the perfect visual metaphor for a woman who carries a lot of weight on her shoulders. And yet, as she tells us, it isn’t as heavy as it looks!

We caught up with the designer, who discussed her vision behind the drape, and also offered us a sneak peak into the design process.

The saree was first showcased at the Amazon India Fashion Week last year. It was picked by Sonam Kapoor’s design team, which put together her look for the Cannes film festival 2016.

And that’s how, dear readers, it became a part of your social media feed.

Viral or not, what is exciting to us is that even though the designer has crafted a contemporary version of the saree, it manages to retain its old world charm.

(Camera: Ajay Rana; Editing: Hitesh Singh)