Gothic, Tribal, Floral: All The Things a Sari Can Be

A Sari can be many things, as I learned from this fashion show.

Models displaying sari creations at the Vogue Sari 24/7 show. (Photo: FDCI)

Gosh, I could never imagine all the things that a Sari could be. But this year, I got a pretty elaborate lesson on exactly that at Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter ’17, as 60 creations by India’s most celebrated designers reinterpreted the sari for Vogue India’s Sari 24/7 show.

There were 5 themes: Blues, Pretty Florals, Tribal, Gold and Gothic, all adapting to the concept of ‘Sari for Day, Sari for Play’. There was practically a sari for every time and occasion, save for a sari for sleep, and trust these designers to come up with that too in a few years!

Blues

Soothing blues turned edgy and cool. And fringes, belts, collared blouses all added spunk to the sari.

Abraham & Thakore showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Anita Dongre showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Ashish N Soni showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Bodice showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Dev R Nilshowcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Gaurav Gupta showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Ikai by Ragini Ahuja showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

JJ Valaya showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Kallol Datta showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Payal Singhal showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Raghavendra Rathore showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Ritu Kumar showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

SVA by Sonam & Paras Modi showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Pretty Florals

Florals needn’t always be dainty, I figured, as I watched these models walk the ramp in floral sari creations.

AMPM showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Anavila showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Eka showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Ekaya showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Kavita Bhartia showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Matsya showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Payal Pratap showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Pero showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Rahul Mishra showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Vineet Bahl showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Tribal

These saris could very well unleash the tribal in you with their fierce prints.

Amit Aggarwal showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Anupama Dayal showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Indian by Manish Arora showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Nikasha showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Payal Khandwala showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Rara Avis showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Rashmi Varma showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Raw Mango Sanjay Garg showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Shyamal & Bhumika showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Swati and Sunaina showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Tarun Tahiliani showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Vriksh showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Gold

Gold needn’t be gaudy. It can be pretty muted too. See for yourself.

Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Amoh by Jade showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Anamika Khanna showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Anand Kabra showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Falguni & Shane Peacock showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Manish Malhotra showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Masaba showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Monisha Jaising showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Shivan & Narresh showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Varun Bahl showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Gothic

As designer Rahul Mishra told The Quint, the Sari always had the image of being worn by the Good Indian girl, but this curation shows how you can be badass in a sari too.

Huemn (winners of Vogue India Fashion Fund 2016) showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Malini Ramani showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Manav Gangwani showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Nachiket Barve showcases at Vogue India’s Sari 24x7 show at AIFW AW ’17

Designers who pledged their support to Vogue India’s Sari 24/7 and displayed special saris were Abraham & Thakore, Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, Akaaro, Amit Aggarwal, Amoh by Jade, AM:PM, Anamika Khanna, Anand Kabra, Anavila, Anita Dongre, Anupama Dayal, Ashish N Soni, Bodice, Dev R Nil, Dhruv Kapoor, Eka, Ekaya, Falguni & Shane Peacock, Gaurav Gupta, Huemn (winners of Vogue India Fashion Fund 2016), Kallol Datta, Kotwara by Meera & Muzaffar Ali, Ikai by Ragini Ahuja, Kavita Bhartia, JJ Valaya, Malini Ramani, Manav Gangwani, Indian by Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, Masaba, Matsya, Monisha Jaising, Nachiket Barve, Namrata Joshipura, Nikasha, Pankaj & Nidhi, Payal Khandwala, Payal Pratap, Payal Singhal, Pero, Raghavendra Rathore, Rahul Mishra, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rara Avis, Rashmi Varma, Raw Mango Sanjay Garg, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, Shantanu & Nikhil, Shivan & Narresh, Shyamal & Bhumika, Suneet Varma, SVA by Sonam & Paras Modi, Swati and Sunaina, Tarun Tahiliani, Urvashi Kaur, Varun Bahl, Vineet Bahl, and Vriksh.