16th Anniversary special | Veshtis: Your new style bff! Experience the tale of the veshti and its new interpretations by Chennai's own designers!

They say that history repeats itself. But in the case of traditional fashion, our attires and styles have never retired. They have been reinvented, reintroduced, and reimagined, yet they still exude timeless grace. One such garment that has stood the test of time is the veshti. This garment is one we wear as a regular garment as well as sport it in professional and casual gatherings. From actor Dhanush sporting a veshti for the premiere of his Hollywood debut, The Gray Man to many Indian actresses like Bipasha Basu, Kriti Sanon, Parineeti Chopra and many others donning the dhoti pants, hereby highlighting the gender-fluid feature of the garment, it cannot be denied that veshtis are in fact here to stay in the world of contemporary fashion. Further, there is something malleable and versatile about the garment that seems to encourage wearers and designers alike to revisit the garment again and again, in some form or the other.

Revisit the vetti

With many labels and brands coming out with some great contemporary silhouettes with patterns and different forms of pre-stitched drapings for this demographic, the veshti seems to have acquired a new flavour for the youth in recent times. To understand the evolution of the garment further and learn about the reason for its popularity and how it is being reinvented, we talk to designers and stylists from the state. While learning about the possible reasons for its popularity, we also try to understand what are the different ways the youth can better style their veshtis and what are the different types of veshtis that designers have come out with or planning to come out with to further cater to the sartorial trends that are entering the market. We first rope in designer Purushu Arie, who is known for interesting and quirky takes on veshtis. We ask the couturier why the garment is gaining such popularity globally. “Waist-wrap garments are the earliest clothing worn by people — they’re the foundation upon which every other clothing attire evolved. Vetti (Sanskritised into Veshti) and Saaram (Anglicised into Sarong) were always popular in the hot and humid tropical regions. In Western cultures, more men are opening up to the idea that clothes do not have a gender and exploring the comfort of waist wrapped sarongs and skirts,” he replies. When we direct his attention towards its prominence among the younger audience’s fashion senses, Purushu notes, “As far as personal style is concerned, many individuals are more inclined to honour tradition whereas there are also fashion followers who are very keen about trends. The versatile vetti and dhoti have acceptance among both the traditionalists as well as the futurists.”

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Reiterating the example of Dhanush, Purushu observes, “Superstars like Dhanush are fashion leaders who can create fashion trends overnight. Dhanush has worn the vetti at various public events and his stardom is bound to elevate the trend quotient of whatever style he wears including the vetti (or lungis that he wore in popular films like Aadukalam, Vada Chennai, and Karnan).

Since the designer is known for his grounded yet ecstatic approach towards designing garments, we ask Purushu for his opinions on silhouettes and styles especially for the youth to explore. “The traditional white vetti is bound to remain a Tamil cultural classic. Millennials in particular are styling the vetti with contemporary trends like the hip hop influenced trends — oversized t-shirts and shirts, chains, sneakers, and sunnies,” he highlights. He further sheds light on some of the great festive styling techniques, “During the Onam season this year, I noticed several women on social media who wore vetti with quirky blouses, crop tops, and vests. Also, much like the sari, there is no one particular way to drape a vetti or dhoti — there are endless possibilities in the style of draping a vetti or dhoti.”

Among Purushu’s innovative creations, the focus on the utility and accessibility of the garment has also been prominent. He tells us how and why he decided to tailor the dhoti with waistband and side pockets. “The purpose of clothing is no longer limited to aesthetics or modesty — they need to be practical for our lifestyle needs too. I often hear about the problem of vetti and lungi slipping off, especially among the new adopters of the style. People today carry wallets and phones, and the traditional vetti, despite its comfort on the body, fails to address the practical needs of our contemporary lifestyle. Hence, with a focus on functionality, I redesigned the vetti (and lungis) with tailored waistband and side pockets,” he says, further spotlighting the various silhouettes he has created, “Other than the traditional tube silhouette, I have designed reversible vetti, d-ring vetti, tie-up vetti, mini-vetti, vetti-skirts, and vettis in unique quirky drapes!”

Purushu also contributes some inputs in the discussion of veshtis further helping in embracing nonbinary and gender-fluid identities. “I have clients from all genders who have purchased vetti. In the post-modern era, vetti, lungis and sarongs remain the only skirt-like silhouette worn by men other than the Scottish-kilt.” he remarks, adding, “The adoption of vetti and lungis by all genders will bring on a significant paradigm shift in how people perceive clothing and gender.”

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Tapestry of cultures

Another prominent designer indulges in a chat around this versatile garment. Textile designer Pallav Chandra of label Shoi, a Bengali artiste, who has lived in Tamil Nadu for decades, elucidates on his personal observations of the garment. He notes, “I always thought that it has a pristine and traditional look. At the same time, I also felt that there could be something more interesting that could be done to this product.” His piqued interest in adding character to the veshti to give it a more trendy look while preserving its traditional features led him to create some exquisite pieces. “The idea for a trendy design came to me when my daughter was getting married a few months back. Since it was a Tamil boy she was getting married to, I tried to combine both cultural elements into this wedding.” The couturier, who works closely with artisans in Bengal, tells us about how he combined the elements of the two communities that met in matrimony. The pieces also made their way as a collection under Shoi. These pieces were made using muslin and jamdani fabric with a golden border at the end. Upon tying a dhoti, the outer layer of the veshti would present a vibrant set of patterns, hereby giving the traditional look a refreshing turn. He reveals that the clients who purchased these, most of whom were from the younger demographic, really appreciated the designs, hereby bringing about a realisation within him that the youth are indeed appreciative and recognise such options among veshtis.
 

Therefore, Pallav further amplifies the notion that youth is drawn to the garment in order to honour traditions more as well as to follow and set trends in traditional fashion. As for the discussion of what type of veshtis people can wear, Pallav directs our attention towards veshti silhouettes that are made using natural fabrics like silk or linen. “My lookout will be to create something which is sustainable, good to your skin, and also has the element of being a handcrafted textile,” he says. He also sheds light on the veshti being a gender-fluid garment with the example of a trend from Bengal. He shares that the men in Bengal have been reusing saris, draping them into dhoti silhouettes hereby giving them a new look and feel. This was done largely to avoid the starchy texture of the veshtis normally available there.

Sustainable styles
Speaking of natural fabrics, textile designer Aditi Jain from Gandhigram also joins the chat around veshtis. She opines “Earlier, our society’s perception was more about community and family traditions. Now it is more about individual expression. The veshti allows you to be part of a larger group, yet you have the freedom to bring out your own expression with it,” she opines. She further highlights that wearing Gandhigram’s khadi veshtis is a statement in itself, as the brand promotes the use of handwoven fabric and the use of less energy. This also leads to their weavers procuring employability and an opportunity to turn their lifestyles around. The brand has also come out with natural dye veshtis which Aditi believes the youth would quite enjoy, as they would be able to wear something ‘earthy’.


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Also sharing some styling tips for veshti is couturier Vivek Karunakaran. He informs us of the different ways we can drape the veshti to give it a contemporary look. “You could do a pleated drape. This could be done in a neat and structured manner. There is also a cowl drape, which will also give you a very gender-neutral look. It involves creating a cowl by folding the fabric at the waist. This can give a very elegant and modern twist to the traditional veshti,” he says, continuing, “Talking about a structured drape, you can also make an asymmetrical drape for your veshti. This can be done in a manner where you let one end of the veshti hang lower than the other and create asymmetry consciously. A belted drape is another option you could try. You can also use a wrap-around technique where you don’t tuck the veshti and secure it, with a fastener.”

So, when you look to sport a veshti next, be assured that the four to five-metre cloth has limitless potential, with a convergence of traditional and contemporary elements. With a higher focus on individual expression, the veshti is your accessory to embrace your own identity and style. So go for a drape of your own and break into a ‘lungi dance’.