At Hyderabad designer Shravan Kummar’s studio, the story is in the weave

Revivalist is simply a word that’s loosely thrown astir successful the manner circuit, successful a bid to adhd credence to designers who absorption connected time-tested weaves and crafts. At Hyderabad-based decorator Shravan Kummar’s studio, the absorption connected crafts has been an ongoing process for astir 3 decades. He courts the limelight occasionally, showcasing handloom saris and ensembles astatine cardinal events crossed India. He prefers to beryllium reticent astatine different times, and the clientele that he’s built implicit the years seeks him retired for saris and juncture wear.

Ahead of the festive season, his workplace tucked distant astatine 1 information of Hotel Abode successful Lakdikapul is abuzz. A mother-daughter duo wants saris for the festive and wedding season, and different bride-to-be is connected a telephone with a younger decorator astatine the workplace to finalise embellishments for a Kanjeevaram sari.

“I tin confidently accidental that our silk saris tin past 120 years. We bash not instrumentality abbreviated cuts. The weave is authentic, beryllium it Kanjeevaram, Benares, Venkatagiri, Mangalagiri, oregon Paithani,” says Shravan. He liaises with weaver clusters crossed India and is crippled to amusement immoderate of the saris that bring backmost forgotten motifs.

An ivory achromatic Paithani fabric sari reserves each its play for the pallu that has woven images of the navagrahas. “Two weavers worked connected this for 19 months,” Shravan explains. A younger decorator astatine the workplace points retired that the mentation progressive spending ample clip connected drafting the designs of each motif.

Kanjeevaram and Benarasi saris with vintage-era motifs inhabit the pridefulness of spot astatine the studio. There are besides saris successful mulberry silks, and silks from Assam, Meghalaya, Bengaluru and Gujarat. “Our weavers usage good number threads for cottons, silks and khadi, which makes the saris softer and casual to drape. A hallmark of respective saris worn by our ancestors was the easiness with which they could beryllium draped,” says Shravan.

The motifs connected the Kanjeevarams are inspired by the temples of Tamil Nadu. Apart from peacocks, birds and elephants, Shravan shows a sari that has motifs from the Kamakshi, Meenakshi and Visalakshi temples. In different saris, pomegranates and flying lotuses are strategically placed. “The annapakshi (swan) motifs person been done to death. Instead, we enactment connected the Tree of Life, two-faced lions, and sugarcane motifs reflecting the temper of the harvest festival.”

Shravan besides shows Benarasi saris with bel motifs that are a throwback to the manner of the 1940s and 1950s. “We person applied for patents for immoderate of the unsocial designs,” helium says, adding that the Benarasi and Kanjeeveram saris travel with a enactment of authenticity for the metallic and golden zari that could value from 7.5 grams to 13 grams for each sari.

With longevity arsenic a focal point, respective saris travel with the enactment of 2 blouses. “This helps erstwhile a sari is shared betwixt a parent and girl oregon siblings,” helium states.

The revival extends to Venkatagiri and Mangalagiri silk and cottons, Mysore silks, khadi-cottons and khadi-linens successful good number threads to guarantee softer drapes.

Shravan, who took to designing successful 1996, accompanied by his sister Jyothi Jaisoorya, asserts that with time, his absorption is connected one-of-its-kind saris. “When motifs are utilized connected much than 1 sari, determination is saltation successful size, placement and operation to guarantee that each sari is different.”