THE SARI TALES
Sanjay Garg, of Raw Mango, is on a mission to make the sari an every-day habit for women rather than a “cool” garment to be worn for special occasions alone
Maverick Indian designer Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango fame, who counts the likes of Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone among his fans, shares his views on why the sari is such a modern garment and how he’d love to dress Priyanka Gandhi, ahead of his visit to Dubai to showcase his latest collection
He’s credited with reviving the handloom industry in India, for turning the sari from a mundane, cumbersome piece of textile into a must-have fashion accessory for the millennials.
And how did maverick designer Sanjay Garg manage that? Not by reinventing the sari, or encrusting a zillion sparkling crystals onto the ‘6 yards of wonder’, or by turning the choli (blouse) into a miniscule piece of Western wear or by courting celebs to wear his designs. But simply by going back to his roots, by bringing back handwoven craftmanship and reinterpreting tradition in a sleek, modern style, with minimal fuss that has everyone from the A-list celeb to the working woman in India and the college-going girl lusting after a piece from his brand, Raw Mango.
For Garg, the sari is more than just a fashion statement; it is a movement, a way of life, which marries tradition with modernism in a minimal style.
His stores, scattered across the main metropolises of India, stand out from other designer brands for not having mannequins draped in swatches of homespun handlooms, dyed in the ‘must-have’ colours of the season. The saris are all carefully folded and kept away from prying gazes in almirahs, much like you’d find in the homes of millions of Indian women across the country. The deisgner who is bringing his new collection, Heer, to Dubai on February 22 and 23, shares his design ethos with City Times.
How would you define a Raw Mango woman?
The idea of one woman or a muse is an unrealistic ideal - I would hope that our designs cater to every type of woman. That being said, I think our patron is someone who is conscious and is choosing to prioritise quality over quantity and also not just looking at something on the surface but realising the importance of the history or story of the garment/product.
We hear that your sister is your muse. Tell us what you like best about her.
Prerna, an advertising professional, is independent, progressive, intelligent and unafraid to be herself - she doesn’t care about being ‘cool’ or following trends. She is also my biggest critic and speaks her mind freely!
Imagine a world where colours are rare and every designer has to choose only one colour to work with. What would you choose?
‘Raw Mango green.’
You’ve spoken about how clothes/ fabric are more than just fashion for you. As a designer what is your core identity - a creator; a bridge between the weaver and the final customer or...
As a designer the goal is to be representative of India’s potential as makers, design thinkers/contributors, innovators and as a scalable homegrown brand rooted in Indian culture, but global in relevance - whereby textile is one (of many) mediums of expression, but have a specific focus on the decade long impact of Raw Mango.
Name the most stylish women you have seen in the following fields: Politics, films, fashion.
There are so many, some include: Indira Gandhi, Gayatri Devi, Brinda Karat and Lupita Nyong’o…
How would you describe the evolution of your fashion philosophy from when you first started out in this field to what it is now?
Raw Mango draws from the colours, philosophies and cultures of India to create a unique voice, questioning place and perspective through design. As a design house we continue to create new conversations in textile, culture and identity through a range
of saris, garments and objects.
Minimalism seems to be the in thing now – in lifestyle, clothes, food, design etc – and your clothes symbolise it. What drew you to this as opposed to the intricate, sometimes overworked clothes of traditional Indian designers?
I have always believed that less is more and that there is presence in the absence. I identify with ‘restraint’ as an overarching approach on a day to day level, and this thinking finds its way into my design and the way I approach my brand. Through design, our engineered panel lenghas brought down the weight of a traditionally heavy garment to 2.5Kg, without losing any of the relevance. We have also questioned the fashion cycles and do not participate in shows often. Our retail environments have bare walls – almost zen-like spaces with practical almirah displays. The visual merchandising is restricted, there are no mannequins and the overall environment does not lend itself to impulse buying.
Your journey from Mubarikpur to the fashion houses of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore is an inspiring one. What’s the most important message you’d like to impart to aspiring designers?
I believe that it is important to break the rules and push boundaries - never be afraid of this.
You have an interesting theory on tradition – that it is not something that’s in the past and done with. Could you explain how you embody your idea of tradition in your designs?
Tradition to me is like a flowing river. It is not something that lives in a museums or is of the past.
We embody tradition in our designs by constantly questioning the context in which is it spoken of, both tradition and modernity are extremely subjective - for example, there is no way to particularly “modernize” weaves, to me sari is the most modern garment, one which can be perceived in so many different ways.
You’ve made the sari cool for many youngsters. It’s almost hep to be seen in a Raw Mango design today. How does that make you feel?
It’s great but I also feel that it needs to go beyond ‘cool’ - should become part of our lives as a ‘normal’ or worn out of habit and not set aside for occasion wear. I want women to relate to the sari. I wanted simplicity, yet provocation was also important to me, and I approached it by way of colour, imagery and display.
Raw Mango has an ethnic, desi, almost tangy flavour to it. What drew you to name your brand ‘Raw Mango’?
Like the name suggests, ‘Raw Mango’ speaks to the unripe and imperfect idea of beauty and similarly this embodies my vision and journey in India.
To what do you attribute your current success – your craft, your talent, luck, passion or simply being in the right place at the right time?
Being able to and having the vision to explore textiles and weaves not because they are sustainable, but also celebrate culture, heritage and tradition.
You have spoken about your admiration for the way Indira Gandhi wore her saris. Now that Priyanka Gandhi has entered active politics are you looking forward to seeing her take on the sari, which in many ways is so like her grandmother’s?
I have always admired the way Indira Gandhi wore saris - they stood out for their distinctive weaves that celebrated cultures from all over the country. Priyanka Gandhi drapes her sari without a pin, just like her grandmother, who used to let her pallu flow - whereas her mom wears it with a pin. I would love to dress her in Raw Mango! :)
Is social media a boon or a bane for you? What are your thoughts on the likes of Diet Prada, Diet Sabya who call out designers and celebs for copying others’ style?
I believe it is important to embrace innovative methods to reach new audiences and accelerate growth. Given the rise of social media, at Raw Mango we have used Instagram as a platform to employ new methods of visual storytelling to share a broader perspective, not just aesthetically but in a way that reveals my personality as well as the brands’ and also communicates our political, social and cultural views - which we do not shy away from sharing at all.
Fashion or style-op pages are a way for one to freely express their opinion. They do however come with their own set of shortcomings, which include the disruption of the quality of journalism, and also the cost at which this freedom comes, which should be accounted for.