We as Indian take great pride in preserving our culture in old trunks. As a significant memory from a time gone by, little heirlooms in the form of sarees, bridal dupattas, fabrics, bags and embroideries trickle down from one generation to another. From our great-grandmothers to our beloved moms, leading women of each generation, make sure of stacking their ancient jewellery pieces to pass on to their kids. Evoking nostalgia and smelling of love, these memories often envelop the story of every family, which makes them unique from the rest. A narrator of trends and fashion of the time, these faded pieces are still kept wrapped and locked up on the topmost shelves of every home. But with changing times, what many people enjoy is not just preserving these memories, but often altering them to wear them with pride.
The craze around upcycling is not just a conscious choice, and more sustainable, but also keeps you away from the noise of seasonal trends. Classic, but packed with a twist, we bring you some DIY techniques to upcycle your old heirloom sarees, into fresh, contemporary designs.
A Simple Kurta
The easiest way to design your old brocade, silk, bandhani or zardozi sarees is to get a kurta made. Still traditional, but equally versatile, brocade kurtas are always expensive investments, but with heirloom pieces, you can save some money. Using a section of the fabric, you can get your masterji to design a kurta of your choice, and keep it ready for the wedding season. In this case, take style cues from actresses Athiya Shetty, Sara Ali Khan, Sayani Gupta and Mrunal Thakur.
A Crafted Dupatta
Another easy way of redesigning your old sarees, is using them as a dupatta. While the entire 5-yard can not serve as the ideal dupatta, you may cut short on the length, and preserve the extras for another DIY product. Brocade silk or zardozi dupattas are royal additions that seamlessly add to a simple suit set. You can choose to layer these dupattas, with hand-embroidered borders, a traditional kiran, or even a colourful border in a contrasting shade.
Jumpsuit
A little unusual, but totally possible, reimagine your old dupattas, or even sarees, as a jumpsuit. The newest favourite in the closets of Bollywood celebrities, actresses like Aditi Rao Hydari, Sobhita Dhulipala, Rakul Preet and Mrunal Thakur’s latest sartorial experiments have provided proof of this rising trend. Exchanging the usual, cotton and denim mechanic suits with these silk jumpsuits, celebrities tutor a new way of styling fusion wear, and strutting in a unique silhouette in the next wedding you attend.
Kaftans, Palazzos And More
The latest designer creations are loving the reincarnation of kaftans, in heirloom sarees and dupattas. Taking the loungewear staple, beyond the couch, kaftans, as reimagined by label like–Injour, pay homage to vintage Indian drapes, and precious luxury. Advocating slow fashion, and upcycling old pieces, you can also choose from the collection of Indian sarees, repurposed into delightful kaftans, embroidered palazzos, kalidars and more.
Bags
For every accessory junkie, who is a keeper of the quirkiest bags, the idea of upcycling your old dupattas into tiny totes, would serve your obsession. Besides using a chunk of these heirloom designs, bags with varied silhouette options can be designed for various occasions. Already doing so, is the 91-year-old grandmother and entrepreneur–Latika Chakravorty, who turns her great collection of sarees into purposeful potlis. Affordable and extremely special, you can take style cues from Latika Chakrvorty’s innovative idea and choose your favourite design from her website.
Couch Essentials
Like bags, a supremely easy way of repurposing your old sarees, and faded embroidered fabrics, is by making products of home decor. You can get your masterji to design elegant cushion covers, table mats, and even get a fabric framed, as a tribute to your family’s age-old collection. This is the most special way of putting your generation-old culture, and treasure on display.
Also Read: 5 Times Alia Bhatt Re-styled Her Old Clothes For A Brand New Look
Power Suits
Who doesn’t love the idea of power suits? Playful and equally versatile, the great evolution of these office staples, has witnessed a delightful switch from dark hues, and crisp lapels, furry hemlines, and sequin fabrics to now India-specific designs. Speaking of India’s unique taste in embroidery, colours, prints and fabrics, what best than repurposing your heirloom sarees into a contemporary, modern pantsuit? Like actress Shraddha Kapoor’s Paithani pantsuit that pays homage to the traditional Maharashtrian saree and Sanjana Sanghi’s Assamese silk pantsuit, the idea will easily help you bridge the gap between traditions and modern aesthetics.
A Special Tribute
Most Indian mothers gift their bridal outfits to their daughters on their special day. As an age-old practice observed in most Indian homes, this tradition is not only a blessing but a tribute to the family ethos. But with changing times, most brides find themselves in a confused state, where they want to wear their mother’s bridal outfit but also follow current trends. In that case, you can revamp the special piece in unique ways like actress Alia Bhatt. The actress repurposed special pieces from her and her mother’s trunk and appointed designer Manish Malhotra to give it a sustainable twist. The lehenga she picked for her mehendi, was an upcycled skirt, built using mixed patches of varied outfits that she had kept in her trunk. Like Bhatt, you can redesign an old outfit, or a special heirloom saree gifted by your mother, into a mix-media skirt, a lehenga or even choose to add it like a veil on your special day.
Sleek Pants
Denim remains a classic, but it definitely is not a suitable choice for when you’re on your way to attending a wedding. For this, you can repurpose your heirloom silk, brocade sarees into straight fit, cigarette pants or even shararas. Dress them up with an equally regal kurta or dress them down with a tucked-in shirt, brocade pants will help you achieve that sweet spot between classics and contemporary. Plus, you might just get an additional piece to build your fusion wear closet.
So, what’s your pick?
Image credits: Instagram