Ekaya Banaras’ festive wear edit Zar brings paisley panache in fashion forward styles

Paisley, the timeless tear-drop motif, has captivated design connoisseurs across the globe. It traces its origins back to the kingdom of Kashmir, where it is an insignia of ceremonial dressing adorned with floral and leaf motifs. The pattern flourished during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar and even caught the fancy of the British, who began importing exquisite Paisley shawls from Kashmir and Persia to Europe in the 1800s.

Now, luxury handloom label Ekaya Banaras is reviving the regalia of this ancient motif and the age-old art of Zar embroidery from the East in their latest Fall Winter’23 collection, Zar. This festive collection showcases Banarasi brocade saris and lehengas adorned with Paisley designs inspired by the Jamwars of Kashmir, and intricately crafted using Zar — a gold threadwork technique hailing from the Eastern countries.

While these motifs and threadwork pay homage to the past, the avant garde styles make the pieces a fashion fad. Telling us about the edit, creative force Palak Shah from Ekaya Banaras, shares, “Zar collection marries ancient Kashmiri paisley motifs with modern Banarasi brocade, weaving together history and contemporary style in rich and vibrant hues. The paisley motif, originating from ancient Persia, gained prominence in Mughal India, symbolising luxury and regality. Western adoption in the 18th century in Scotland, gave it its name. Representing fertility and life, its timeless design blends historical essence with modern aesthetics, epitomising cultural exchange and evolution. The timeless motif travelled to India with the Persians and found a home in the indigenous Jamawar shawls of Kashmir, where it was modified to reflect an “ambi”, or a raw mango.”

The ensembles feature a unique festive colour palette that diverges from typical autumnal hues, and rather veers towards bold colours of pinks, aquas, purples, blacks, garnets and deep blues — a palette that is usually seen in Kashmiri Jamawars. Telling us about the making process of this purely woven collection, Palak shares, “For each piece, we spent more than 200 hours on the loom. The collection is crafted in luxe silks, with the saris featuring 50% real zari and Meena work, to create museum worthy pieces that can be cherished by generations. You can expect rich silk saris, unconventional fashion forward blouses and opulent lehengas in lush festive hues. With every new launch, we try to elevate the traditional styles we have on offer with eclectic pairings of blouses that are crafted for the modern muse.”

Indeed, the edit’s barely there blouses, one shoulder tops, noodle strap corsets and jackets set the style bar high, while handloom crafts accentuate the heritage appeal. Before signing off Palak mentions some festive wear trends, “Today’s buyer favours versatility, sustainability, contemporary silhouettes and minimalistic embroidery in diverse colours. What’s outdated are heavy embellishments, conventional cuts without a modern edge, synthetic materials that are uncomfortable and environment unfriendly, and repetitive designs without newness. People seek a blend of tradition, moder nity, uniqueness and desire more personalised designs.”

Rs. 38,000 upwards. In store, Banjara Hills. Also available online.
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