Sport ethnicity in style this festive season

Aavaranaa recently launched a new line of exclusive designer sarees. Like always, the sisters have come up with designs that blend in seamlessly with each other - even if in contrasts! The new collection revolves around the winter season and boasts of vibrancy combined with the magical hues of the season. The sarees are hand brush dyed with colors like pink, red, green lues with traditional block prints crating a uniquely new style statement.

The winter collection showcases the aesthetic appeal of the designer sarees and salwars that come in contrasting colors block printed, hand brush dyed, double shaded with versatile designs comprising of floral and geometric patterns on stylish themes. Most of the sarees have a touch up and a tinge of Beige color that merges with all the hues of shades.

The highlights of the season are the “Mangalgiri Salwars” sourced and merchandised from Mangalgiri near Vijayawada, accentuated with traditional block prints & elegant mirror work. Another special collection would be the “Ikat weaving” designed on the cotton sourced from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh with unique patterns and shades.

These splendid hand brush dyed collection of sarees is priced at Rs.3300. The Hand brush dyed technique can also be availed on salwars which are priced at Rs.1900 upwards and the Mangalgiri aalwars are priced at Rs.1500 upwards.

Elegant Bridal Collections at Aavaranaa

A wedding ceremony has a number of rituals and customs, each symbolic of beautiful and noble sentiments. South Indian wedding traditions and ceremonies are no exception. When compared with the typical North Indian wedding, a South Indian wedding is a tad toned down but none the simpler! One of the important parts of the weeding is shopping for all the essential things that will be required, including the Bridal Saree. The colors of these sarees are usually dark and come with a wide golden border. Aavaranaa the exclusive designer silk boutique swanks of a collection of bridal silk sarees for the gramd South Indian wedding. Customers can choose from an array of Kanchipuram pure silks and light silks sarees that are custom-made for the wedding seasons.

A notable saree in this collection comes in an earthy dark green hue. Made from pure Kanchipuram silk, this saree comes with a broad border with intricate zari works in golden treads accompanied by an abstract design in a maroon shade in-between. The saree in styled with simple abstract zari works at regular intervals. The pallu reflects the designing of the border and imitates an even elaborate zari work with abstract designs of maroon in-between. The saree is priced at Rs13400/-

Understanding the needs of the typical South Indian wedding, Aavaranaa also offers a collection of sarees for the family. One can choose from materials ranging from the natural tussar to the alluring organza, from the perpetual Kanchipuram to the equally dear uppada. The store also houses garments ranging from the sensuous bagalpurs to the stunning and mellifluous mutkas. A notable saree comes in a light weight, hand woven kanchi silk material, woven in the 1/2 & 1/2 fashion with pink on the top half and a vibrant yellow at the bottom half, designed with small floral prints; combined with a plan yellow blouse the saree epitomizes grace and elegance

Besides sarees, Aavaranaa also houses a collection of retro designed salwars for all occasions.

- Contributed by Soorya Krishna, Head Designer - Aavaranaa Boutique

The Basics- How to drape a saree!

I think this blog would be incomplete if I didn't post any information on how to drape a saree. After all, whats the point of owning a saree if you don't now how to drape it!

Of all the clothes we women wear, I think the saree is the most challenging to us. Owning an exclusive saree boutique in Alwarpet, I often meet women who come in to buy a saree for that special occasion but are still not sure of how to wear one. This is more so true in the case of youngsters who are either in college or on their first jobs. Whenever asked for advice on how to wear one, I often reply asking what style would suit them. Pleasantly surprised, they often ask me for the easiest methods.

There are many styles of draping a saree, around 10 to 15 or so and each one is practiced somewhere or the other in the country. For reasons of simplicity, lets stick to the basics - the common traditional draping style:

Before you start make sure that the petticoat or underskirt is tied tightly at the waist using a drawstring. Elastics, thought easy to wear may not be able the carry the weight of the saree for long and will require constant adjustments. The color of the petticoat should match that of the saree as closely as possible.

Select a blouse that’s fits you well but is still comfortable. Make sure that the blouse goes along with the color of the saree you choose to wear. Again, the blouse you choose can change the look of your saree so do keep in mind the way you’ll look in that specific cut you select. Have a look at my post on blouses for more ideas. Now that we’ve got that sorted out, lets tackle the saree.

Step 1: Around your body. Starting at the navel, tuck the plain end of the saree into the petticoat and continue tucking till you take a complete turn from right to left. Adjust the lower end of the saree to the height required. Ideally wear your footwear so that you drape the saree to the right length.

Step 2: Measuring the pallu. Hold the top edge of the saree where the pallu is and bring it around your hips to the front and over your left shoulder, thus measuring the length of the pallav or pallu. The pallav should hang down the back to the knee. You may pin your pallu to your sari blouse provisionally.

Step 3: Making pleats. Create pleats with the saree. Make about 7 to 10 pleats and hold them up together so that they fall straight and even. Tuck the pleats into the waist petticoat slightly to the left of the navel, taking care to see that the pleats are turned towards the left.

Step 4: The pallu. The remaining portion of the saree must be turned once around the body and then draped over the left shoulder. Arrange the pleats on this part of the saree and then pin them up on the left shoulder to prevent the pallu from falling off.

Once you get accustomed with the basics, start to experiment with different draping styles at home. You can really be innovative with six yards of fabric . Drape it up in different styles and pep up the look with a variety of accessories or select a unique blouse that can be matched with various sarees. The options are many but it all comes down to what you’re comfortable with.

If you live in Chennai, feel free to walk into my store, Aavarnaa Boutique. I'd be more than happy to help you out with the intricacies of draping and anything else related to sarees. Aavaranaa is located at #15, Ashoka Street, Alwarpet. You could also log on to www.aavaranaa.com for more information.

Contributed by Ms. Soorya Krishna, Head Designer - Aavaranaa

Its good to be here! :)

Finally, all of you who love the kind of designs Aavaranaa creates can connect directly with us both on facebook and blogger. As my first post here, I'd like to share a recent contributory article I had written for www.chennaionline.com. Hope you enjoy reading this and do come back for more fun stuff...

- Vijayalakshmi Krishna & Soorya Krishna

Eternally in vogue

If you thought the saree was just another six yards of fabric, then think again! The saree is the only garment in the world to have been perpetually fashionable through the ages. Constantly reinvented and redesigned, the saree has always pushed the boundaries of fashion further and further.

This season, the saree comes in yet another new trend designed to appeal to the women of today. The latest in the world of sarees to look out for is a half and half design. Presented in two rich shades, one color on the top half of the saree and a different one on the bottom half or the pallu. This new design is available in Kancheepuram silks and cottons. With intricate designing on the entire saree or the pallu alone, these sarees come in contrasting colors.

Displayed along side is a silk saree woven in a horizontally divided design. The top half is plain olive green. The bottom half pallav and blouse is woven in zari with the age-old rudraksham design along with a simple border. The intricate rudraksham design is woven in a gold tread on a deep pink background and gives the saree a grand feel. The intricate rudraksham designs are woven in gold tread and give the saree a grand feel. Together the colors and designs become a perfect blend of tradition and culture in a modern trend.

Also in vogue this season are theme sarees. Available in a variety of shades these sarees are designed with prints or embroidery work that display a certain extract from various epics, legends and folklore. With the approaching monsoon, peacock colors and designs are the theme. These sarees are usually available in cotton and tussar with appliqué work, embroidery work or both on them. They also came in prints of natural dyes. These are either hand printed or block printed and depict popular themes like stories from the Ramayana or seasonal themes like peacocks dancing before the rains.

To add to this magic of the half and half designs are designer blouses. The concept of designer blouses has caught up fast with saree enthusiasts. These blouses are designed with heavy embroidery and print designs and come in a wide range of patterns, from floral prints to embroidered designs of peacocks and abstract patterns. The uniqueness of designer blouses is that they can be combined with a simple or plane saree to achieve a stunning look. Displayed in the picture is a deep pink zari strapless blouse with small hand printed floral designs and intricate embroidery work. This designer blouse is in contrast with the plain olive green of the top half of this saree and compliments the deep pink of the bottom half. Together the designer blouse and the saree create a unique, chic and sensual look. A similar look can be achieved by combining a simple and plain blouse with a half and half saree that has designs on both halves.

Fashion in ethnic wear is all about experimenting with new concepts. In the world of fashion, change is the only constant, but as far as the saree is concerned, the ethnic appeal of these 6 yards of fabric is still the top favorites among many Indian women, and will be so for a long time to come.

- Vijayalakshmi Krishna, Managing Partner - Aavaranaa