One of India’s finest handloom brands, Ekaya Banaras, has been preserving the Banarasi craft tradition for the last 120 years. This time, the label, helmed by design maven Palak Shah brings her 2023 summer capsule, Iro, which in Japanese means an ode to the spectrum. Imagine tran-seasonal saris in vivid colours that can seamlessly flow from everyday outfit to sunny soirée and glittery night-time events.
The new edit is a modern departure from the brand’s usual classic vocabulary that rests on traditional silhouettes. In contrast, Iro presents slinky saris, barely-there blouses and billowing capes crafted with minimal design intervention and dipped in trendy hues of neon green, fuchsia pink, red, yellow, moss green and more.
Telling us how this edit is contemporary, Palak shares, “The collection is very distinct from our past ones in the sense that there is no embellishment or frills to these pieces. Iro finds beauty in the simplicity of a classic monochrome sari and plays it up with eclectic drapes and conventional blouses in contemporary cuts. The saris are crafted in soft organza and summer-friendly silk called Habutai.”
Ekaya has always embraced the beauty of the sari in its past edits like Pixels and Valley of Flowers. But Iro lends fresh air to this muchloved silhouette by bringing in cutting-edge designs and new ways of draping saris. That makes the new collection more appealing to a wider generation.
Palak elaborates on the same, “Iro is our attempt at making the sari appealing to a younger audience that wants to honour the roots of six yards while also embracing innovative expressions. This is why we have introduced modern designs, lightweight and easy-to-drape fabrics and bold cuts of the blouses. The ability to personalise the design, colours and embellishments of saris is what makes them stand out among a sea of traditional drapes.”
Rs. 15,000 upwards. Available online and in-stores.
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