Payal Khandwala reinterprets jamdani for a limited edition drop

Mumbai-based designer Payal Khandwala’s strength lay in her vibrant yet classy colour palette, her contemporary silhouettes that are Indian at heart, her skill with draping and pleating and her innovative use of graphic floral prints. Her name is not what comes to mind when one thinks of jamdani. However, for the second time in two years, Payal returns to the weave for a limited edition collection. And true to form, she has endeavoured to do something different, instead of sticking to the tried and tested route. 

Fresh take
Jamdani, traditionally done in fine muslin, has been reinterpreted with silk and silk organza. And that’s not all. The motifs have also been modernised, the pallu has been done away with and so has the border. Striking and contemporary, her take on the traditional Bengali weave is truly unique and her design language clearly comes through. “I love saris and I own a few jamdanis too. I found that jamdanis are great for day wear. For a fabric that is so labour intensive and tedious, I felt it needed to have multiple uses. So I thought of weaving it with silk to make it more formal and dressy,” says Payal, adding, “We contemporised the motifs and changed the scale and the placing of the motifs on the sari. We also did away with certain elements that make it look too traditional, like the border and a traditional pallu. You will not be able to tell where it ends and begins.”

Shade card
Employing a palette that shifts from beige to soft salmon pink, jet black, bright red, magenta and olive green, Payal’s bold colour-blocking is the perfect backdrop for her experiments with the weave. “Initially, there were a lot of adjustments that had to be made to the loom because when you change the yarn the set up needs to be changed accordingly. The weavers I work with in Phulia, West Bengal are very talented and were able to perfect it,” she shares. 

Next, Payal is working on a new line for Spring/Summer, which will feature her floral prints. “I’m already thinking about how I can use the new print on the jamdani saris. I like to stick with an idea and use it in different ways until it dies a natural death. The thought of coming up with a completely new concept every time there’s a new collection feels unnecessary to me,” she says, signing off. 

Rs.49,500 upwards. Available at her store in Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai