Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — October 2017

CLOCKWISE: HEMIS/ALAMY; SIMON BOURNE/ALAMY

; JONNY ABBAS/ALAMY

Fabric

Moodboard

Fashion Designer Anupamaa Dayal

never shies from going back to

authentic Indian weaves for runway

inspiration. She takes us on a route to

discover the world of Indian fabrics

your wedding celebrations.

Good Buys

Odisha’s rich textile heritage

is no secret to those who

appreciate fine hand-woven

fabrics. In the past five

decades, Boyanika has bridged

the gap between artisans and

buyers by bringing together

a variety of local weaves:

the Ikat, Kotpad, Tassar silk,

hand-woven brocade, or Bombai

in silk and cotton. The brand

not only helps customers buy

authentic saris but also

takes initiative in delivering

raw materials to the weavers

through the Yarn Bank.

boyanika.com

Boyanika Textiles, Odisha

T+L PICK

Mother’s Instructions

My mother’s instructions on folding

dhakkai sarees were clear. That I should

change the fold on the creases to reduce

any tension on the delicate weave. For me

this meant the act of folding could go on

for hours as I touched and played with it.

The densely woven border looked like it

had been etched with a blade.

MASTER OF

THE GAME

Abdulaziz Alimamad Khatri

from Kutch, Boshak from

Kolkata, Bharat Shah from

Varanasi for Ekaya, and

handloom weavers from

Kuthampully are the best

at what they do.

Ekaya Store, Varanasi.

So Precious

The Golden Muga Silk

from Assa

m

is known for its durability an

d

is instantly recognisable for

its glossy texture and a natura

l

yellowish tint. We use this

fabric to make gowns.

The Benarasi Brocade

from Varanas

i

is painstakingly made by local

artisans. The best saris can tak

e

up to six months. We use this

heritage textile to make lehengas

,

skirts, dupattas, and suits.

FAST FADING

Patola is one of the

most ancient weaves

of Gujarat, and is

fast fading. The

spinning, weaving,

and dyeing in pure

silk is an art form

that originated

700 years ago.

It needs to see a

resurgence before

digital replicas

take over.

DAVID NOTON PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY; HINDUSTAN TIMES/GETTYIMAGES; COURTESY OF EKAYA; COURTESY OF BOYANIKA; SHUTTERSTOCK (4)